


be you (that's what i want)

by sobsicles



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: AU - Modern Setting, Alec is keeping a secret, BDSM, Bit of Praising, Blindfolds, Brief Mention of Camille being horrible as usual, Brief Mention of Jonathan being a horrible brother, Clary being amazing, Domme Clary, Explicit Sex, F/M, First Date, Handcuffs, Izzy and Jace are those tag along siblings who take up Alec's hobbies, Jace being a little shit, Jace being an annoying yet endearing brother to Alec, Jace being head over heels for Clary, Jace's favorite flavor is vanilla but he's not, Kink discussions, Kneeling (on pillows), Maia and Simon are together, Malec are wholesome, Raphael does not like anyone, Simon and Jace get along instantly, Spanking, Use of the Red Yellow Green system, Will and Tessa and Jem are here, a surprising amount of humor for a BDSM fic, bdsm club, except ofc he does, first date shenanigans, so Jace works to figure it out, submissive Jace, then BOOM here comes Izzy, they are lovely and delightful, very brief and background, what else?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:41:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23840056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sobsicles/pseuds/sobsicles
Summary: Alec has a secret and has spent a considerable amount of time dodging his questions, so Jace thinks it's only fair that he spends a considerable amount of time sneaking after him to get the answers.What Jace finds comes as a surprise, and so does Clary Fray, who offers him up a whole new world with a smile.He accepts.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray/Will Herondale, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood/Maia Roberts
Comments: 12
Kudos: 72





	be you (that's what i want)

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to clarify that this really was only supposed to be about 10k ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> I know, I know, I always say things like that, but I seriously have a problem, okay? Anyway, onto me rambling about the fic a bit. 
> 
> So, I will admit that I started to really like Clace after I read the books (mostly the last 2 is what made me like them), and I really enjoyed the little bits and pieces of submissive Jace that we got to see in the book with Clary, plus the very blatant parts in the show with her and others--that boi likes being roughed up, ya know? So, I took it a step farther and decided I wanted a BDSM fic where Clary was Jace's Domme, so here we are. 
> 
> I did a lot of research for this fic (more than you all would care to know, I assure you) because I wanted it to be as realistic as possible. So, with that being said...
> 
> Enjoy ;)

Jace doesn't want to think that he's the type of person who's easily offended, but when it comes to Alec, he's quickly learning that he is. 

This is the fifth time in the past two weeks that Alec has just slipped out all secretive-like without telling anyone--especially Jace--where he's been going. He's been dodging Jace's questions, and he does it in such a way that only makes Jace even _more_ curious, with shifty eyes and awkward silences when he just straight up won't answer. 

Izzy must know already because she doesn't seem curious at all, which is just not commonplace. Alec with a secret is basically like a treasure hunt for them, usually, but she's particularly uninterested, like she is when she already _knows_ the secret. She's even been telling Jace to back off, which is just...rude. 

As if Jace won't be privy to nearly every facet of Alec's life. They're best friends and adoptive brothers, and Jace has taken that to mean he and Alec pretty much do everything together, so whatever this is will _not_ be an exception. 

That's why Jace follows him. 

Alec has spent a considerable amount of time dodging his questions, so Jace thinks it's only fair that he spends a considerable amount of time sneaking after him to get the answers. 

He keeps Alec in his sights for a long time. Often, he finds himself asking where the fuck Alec is even going. He doesn't seem to be in a rush, and it's not uncommon for any New Yorker to just _walk_ to their destination, but Jace feels like he's going in circles. They eventually end up walking down a rather nice back alley that has fairy-lights strung alongside the buildings that wall the alley in. For a moment, it seems that Alec has just disappeared, and Jace inwardly curses himself for losing him. 

It's only as he walks forward a bit more that he realizes that he hasn't lost him at all. There's a stairwell that goes down from the ground, probably to some basement-level of whatever building Alec just disappeared into. Jace narrows his eyes and follows after him with a small frown. 

The stairs creak as he descends them, and as he goes lower, he can hear the faint sound of music from inside. A club? No, Alec wouldn't go to a club, and besides, the music is too quiet to be a club. 

The door at the bottom is open and Jace sets his shoulders as he strides confidently inside, looking ahead for Alec, but his brother is nowhere to be seen. He gets maybe four steps inside before someone steps back through a curtain that's hanging behind what seems to be a front desk--the curtain is thick and black with glitter glinting in the dim room. 

"Can I help you?" the man asks, arching an eyebrow as he sweeps his gaze over Jace. 

"Uh, I need to get inside," Jace says carefully, suddenly very aware of the judgemental look on the other man's face. 

The man hums and holds out his hand. "ID. Is this your first time?" 

Jace doesn't think this is the kind of man you lie to; there's a blandness to his voice that is borderline threatening, and his dark eyes and pale face practically screams _do not fuck with me._

"Yeah," Jace replies calmly, reaching in his pocket to draw out his ID and pass it over. He glances at the name plaque on the desk. "Mr. Santiago, is there--" 

"Raphael," he corrects, clicking his keyboard and sighing. "Whatever questions you have about the inside needs to be addressed inside. Find Magnus Bane, and he will assist you in any way necessary." 

"Right," Jace says slowly, shoving his hands into his pockets and clearing his throat. 

Raphael finally glances down at the ID, and he instantly freezes in place, his eyebrows raising as his gaze snaps over to Jace. "Lightwood, huh? Next, the sister will be showing up. Can't say it's bad for business, but it is most unusual." 

"The...sister?" Jace blinks at Raphael, not entirely sure what the fuck he's talking about. "Uh, look, I have no idea what's--" 

"Magnus will have my hide if I ruin whatever he has going on with his current infatuation, so I'll spare you the questions. It's your first time, so don't stare too much--it's not a zoo. A word to the wise, tip the bartender, because Maia or Bat will remember your face. And the most important thing… No touching without consent; no borrowing anything without consent; no _anything_ without consent; that is _very_ important." Raphael arches an eyebrow and smirks when he passes the ID back over. "Now, that will be a fifty dollar admittance fee." 

Jace opens his mouth to protest, but shuts it quickly when Raphael narrows his eyes. He has no idea what he's walking into here, but Alec is in there, so he fishes the money out of his wallet and passes it over. It's a damn good thing he makes good money as a security guard, or else this would hurt a bit more. 

"So, I just…" Jace waves a hand at the door to the left, his eyebrows raised. 

Raphael nods. "Yes, and do tell Magnus, should you see him, that I treated you well. Someone will be around to give you the tour shortly, so don't wander too far. Oh, and Mr. Lightwood?" 

"Jace, please," Jace instantly corrects, then shuffles in place a little. "And...yeah?" 

Raphael smirks. "Have fun." 

There's something incredibly ominous about the way Raphael says that, but it only gives Jace the urge to roll his eyes. Whatever this place is, it can't be anything too shocking. Alec's not the type. The rules that Raphael had given him are a bit weird, though. Don't stare? Don't touch? Is this some kind of strange art exhibit, or something? 

Jace shrugs it off and steps through the door. The music is a bit louder as he walks up the winding hallway, but it's still background noise, the kind you could talk at normal volume with and still hear yourself. He looks around as he walks, his eyebrows rising at the paintings that line the walls--it looks like blobs of naked bodies wrapped in rope, writhing limbs splashed in color. Yeah, definitely some kind of high-end art exhibit; though, the paintings are absolutely gorgeous, abstract as they are. 

The hallway ends on a curve, spitting him out on the other side of a beaded curtain. He immediately looks around for Alec, only to come to a halt, his eyes wide. 

Upon first inspection, the place looks fairly normal. It does resemble a mixture of a club and a bar. There's an area off to the side with couches and chairs and tables around, which people are mingling at. There's a bar across the room, and on the wall behind the wrap-around bar is a large projector screen playing something in black and white. The main area of the room is open and spacious. People walk around, talking, laughing. 

That's where the normalcy stops. 

The people sitting on the couches are in various states of dress--some are nearly naked, some _are_ naked, and there's so much latex that it's insane. The movie that plays on the projector isn't just something in black and white as he originally assumed, it's limbs and bodies gyrating on the screen, the angles of the camera and lack of faces giving it a naughty aura. The open area has various...things around it, things like _cages,_ and weirdly shaped furniture, and what appears to be a _cross?_ People are strapped to different things, others walking around and keeping a wide berth or blatantly watching, and there are so many people kneeling that he's always surprised when he finds even more. 

Jace can't help it; he stares. 

"You must be Jace." 

Jace swallows the yelp he wants to give and whirls around, blinking rapidly as soon as he sees the woman standing beside him. Once again, he's helpless to stop the way he gapes at her. She's got red hair that falls in waves over latex-covered shoulders. Her top is black with a white trim, the seemingly rubber encasing her thin torso, stopping in a perfect line with her latex--again, _more_ latex--pants that grip her long legs all the way down to her high-heeled boots that traps Jace's breath in his chest. 

"Yeah," she says, her lips curling up, "you're Jace." 

Jace clears his throat and snatches his gaze back up to her face. "What makes you say that?" 

"The way you look like you've been hit on the head is a good indicator," she tells him. "I'm Clary, by the way. I'll be giving you the tour." 

"The--the tour. Of...this place." Jace glances around, blinking rapidly. "A BDSM club." 

Clary arches an eyebrow. "Yes. Pandemonium, to be exact. Don't you know where you are?" 

Jace wants to say that he is so, _so_ very lost. He doesn't. He just clears his throat and mutters, "Sorry, first time. Do you, uh, know my brother? Alec Lightwood. He--he comes here a lot." 

Which absolutely fucking _stuns_ Jace, but he wisely does not mention that. 

"Oh, is that your brother?" Clary asks lightly, her lips twitching. "Well, I'll admit that I can't see the resemblance, but to be fair, he looked as shocked as you the first time he came in here." 

"Is he here now?" 

"He's around, I'm sure. We'll probably run into him and Magnus at some point." 

"Magnus…" Jace frowns around, sweeping the room with his gaze, looking for any sign of Alec. "Who is that? The receptionist mentioned him as well." 

"He's the owner of the club and also my boss. I'm sure he'll be pleased to meet you, and it'll probably make him happy to know that Alec is bringing in more people," Clary explains easily. She smiles at him and takes two clicking steps forward, looking back at him patiently. "Follow me, Jace, and I'll show you around. Perhaps the bar first; it's a good place to start for those who are new." 

Jace swallows. "Yeah, a drink would be nice." 

Clary laughs. 

They pick their way across the room, keeping out of the way of people in the open area, obviously in the midst of scenes. Clary doesn't so much as bat an eye, and she frequently smiles at people who aren't in the middle of the room, even those that are dressed in very little--men and women alike. Jace _does_ bat an eye, often doing double-takes, but he's always quick to duck his head and follow after Clary dutifully. 

It's not like Jace doesn't know what BDSM _is._ He'd wager a guess that everyone has an idea about it at this point. _50 Shades of Grey_ does exist, and he's read all of the books with his book club--it wasn't exactly his favorite series, but it had bred plenty of interesting discussions. But, outside of that, he doesn't have a whole lot of experience with it. 

He wouldn't say his sex-life is awfully vanilla or anything. He always down for some rough sex, but he's never spanked anyone or even tied anyone up. He honestly doesn't think he'd want to, and it shocks the fuck out of him that _Alec_ likes doing that kind of stuff. But, as long as he's happy, who is Jace to judge? 

"Maia!" Clary calls out happily when they reach the bar. She gestures to Jace, but does not touch him as she nods to the bartender behind the bar--a smiling girl wearing a leather jacket, her afro curling around her pretty face. "This is Jace. He's new. Why don't we get him a drink, on the house?" 

Maia nods and turns her gaze to Jace. "Sure thing. What would you like, Jace?" 

"Whatever you recommend," Jace replies wearily, watching in surprise as Maia reaches down and a hand comes up from behind the bar, holding up a clean glass. His eyes bulge. 

"Oh, that's just Simon," Maia says with a laugh, watching his face as she starts preparing a drink. She jerks her head towards her feet. "He's been back-talking me, so he's working on his knees tonight. Go ahead, you can look." 

Jace slowly scoots forward and looks over the bar. There's a young man on his knees beside Maia, his head bent as he cleans glasses. His hair is messy as if someone has been running their fingers through it, and he doesn't look up, despite the fact that he must be able to feel Jace's gaze on him. 

"Simon, give Jace a smile," Maia says casually. 

Immediately, Simon looks up briefly to smile at him, showing dimples and warm brown eyes that look pleased, and then he goes right back to working. 

Jace looks at Maia. "He's your…" 

"My sub, yes." Maia slides him his drink and chuckles throatily. "For tonight, anyway." 

"Right," Jace says, then knocks back his drink. 

Clary hums an amused sound. "Perhaps in a few days, Maia will be the one on her knees." 

"Ah, I'm no brat," Maia replies, flashing a bright smile that shows off white teeth. 

From the floor, Simon snorts, but Maia doesn't seem to notice. Clary also snorts. 

"Uh huh. I, for one, know from personal experience that is a lie," Clary retorts. 

Jace's eyebrows hike up in surprise. "Wait, you've--I mean, you two have…" 

"We've done a scene together before, yeah," Clary answers easily. "Simon is my best friend, and they're both switches. There was an event, so we swapped subs for the duration of it--I got Maia, who was subbing that night, and he got my sub, who has found himself a different Dom now." 

"That's...okay?" Jace asks slowly, interested despite himself, glancing between Clary and Maia, who are grinning at each other. "To--to swap like that, I mean?" 

Clary smiles at him. "Like I said, Simon is my best friend. We know each other's rules very well, and both of our subs were fine with it. Not everyone is, but as long as it's consensual, it's okay." 

"It was a good time," Maia says heartily with a wink to Clary. 

"Huh." Jace grunts and shakes his head, flicking his gaze back to Simon, who is still dutifully cleaning glasses like that's all he's allowed to focus on. Well, in a way, Jace supposes that's exactly it. 

"Come on, I'll show you the rest," Clary tells him, eyeing his empty glass. "Don't hesitate to ask questions, and remember, we can return to the bar at any time, okay?" 

Jace huffs a short laugh and pushes to his feet, throwing Maia a broad grin. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Just let me tip Maia first." 

Maia grins. "Oh, I like this one, Clary." 

"He does look like fun, doesn't he?" Clary asks agreeably, watching Jace pull out some loose bills from his wallet. 

Jace's stomach clenches as he passes the money over and catches Clary watching him. _Catches_ is a strong word; she doesn't seem like the type to be caught doing anything. Her gaze shamelessly travels over him in faint amusement and piqued interest, and his heart immediately starts hammering in his chest. He wants to tell her that he doesn't know the first thing about BDSM, and that he doubts he'll be good at whatever she'd be interested in, but her gaze feels like a tangible brush over his skin and he finds that he can't speak at all. 

They just keep staring at him, so he blurts the first thing that falls out of his mouth, which is, "Am I allowed to tell Simon bye, or is that bad form?" 

Maia tips her head back and cackles, Clary's lips curl up in a delighted smirk, and Jace can feel his cheeks heating up for some inexplicable reason. 

"Sure, go ahead, tell him bye," Maia says pleasantly, shooting him another smile. "Simon, it looks like you have a new friend. You can tell Jace bye if he says it to you first." 

Jace peers over the bar at Simon, who still doesn't look up or stop his task. "Uh, bye, Simon." 

Simon glances up, laughter dancing in his eyes, and he says, "Goodbye, Jace," before going right back to what he was doing. 

Clary starts leading him away after that, and he awkwardly mumbles, "Did I do good by asking?" 

"Oh, Jace," Clary says softly, amused and fond, strangely enough, as she looks at him in blatant appraisal, "you did _wonderful."_

Weirdly, that warms Jace to his core. 

* * *

If Jace thought he was out of his element _before…_

Well. 

Clary has given him a _very_ thorough tour, answered all his questions, and opened his mind to things he never even thought to consider. He's seen four different people being fisted, passed a room where a girl was hanging upside down while nearly completely encased in rope, and had one man ask him if he was interested in doing a scene--he had politely declined, which had earned him an understanding smile as the man walked away. 

The thing is, Jace isn't usually so...shocked by these kinds of things. He's been kinky with his partners plenty of times--sex with a man in the changing room at a store while people shopped on the other side, sex with a girl who introduced him to the pleasurable benefits of being scratched. 

But _that_ is wildly different than _this,_ and he's trying to soak it all in without looking like a fucking idiot, while also wrapping his mind around the fact that, _apparently,_ Alec is into some of this. 

There's also the fact that every time Jace looks at Clary, he kind of can't breathe. She's absolutely gorgeous, no doubt, but there's something more… She is charismatic, a steady presence that seems stable and unwavering, commanding her space without impending on any other's. There's something _strong_ about her, something almost ruthless, somehow a mixture of danger and safety. He feels like a moth drawn to a flame. 

People respect her, and Jace has only known her for about an hour, but he's among those people, too. 

They pass a woman who's lounging on what appears to be a long, leather ottoman, a man kneeling before her as he fully, in front of the eyes of god and everyone, _licks_ her red heels. There's a collar around his neck, and the woman is watching him with a detached curiosity. 

"Do you...do that?" Jace finds himself asking, warily glancing at Clary as she follows his gaze. 

"Some subs like to be collared, while others do not. I've had a sub before who wanted it, so I got him one." Clary looks at him curiously. "Why? Does that bother you, Jace?" 

"I was actually talking about him, uh, licking her shoes," Jace admits. 

Clary blinks, then laughs warmly. "Believe it or not, that's more for the enjoyment of the sub than the Domme. I know them. He likes it a lot. As for me, well...yes, I have done that before. Why? Does _that_ bother you?" she asks, amused. 

Jace shrugs. "No, I just don't really see how that would be something that could be...enjoyable. You're literally licking someone's shoes." 

"She cleans them before," Clary says, like that makes any difference. When he just arches an eyebrow at her, she hums. "I can imagine how it would seem strange to someone who's never done it, but trust me when I say it's fairly normal. It's about wanting to please her, more than wanting to lick the shoe. She tells him to, or expects him to, so he _does,_ and it makes him feel...loyal, devoted, loving. There are other cases where people are into boot worship, but they're not _quite_ fully into it." 

"Boot worship," Jace repeats faintly. He shakes his head and sighs. "I just...don't get it, I guess." 

Clary eyes him seriously. "You don't have to. You're not required to like it." 

"Have you ever licked someone's shoe?" 

"No, I haven't. I probably never will. People have licked mine, like I said." 

Jace glances down at her shoes. They're very nice shoes. He tries to imagine himself licking them...and immediately gets such a vivid flash of himself kneeling before her and licking these particular shoes. A frisson of heat skitters down his spine, and he's slightly mortified to find that the mental image is actually _hot,_ so he quickly banishes it. 

"Well," Jace mutters, clearing his throat as he glances back up at her, "I guess maybe I do get it, a little. Those are very nice shoes, worship-worthy, at least." 

Clary grins. "I got them on sale. Cute, right?" 

Jace's lips twitch. "Yeah, cute." 

They're not cute, they're badass and sexy as hell, but the fact that she calls them cute is adorable, so he'll let her have that one without argument. 

"I thought so," Clary agrees. 

"So, you've never done it. Does that mean you're not like Simon and Maia? Like...you're never a sub?" 

"I'm not, no. I don't switch." 

Jace bobs his head. "Oh, okay. Is that, like, a personal choice, or you just...can't?" 

"It's not who I am." Clary shrugs easily. "We are who we are, we like what we like, and that's all there is to it. Some people have preferences, some don't. Maia, for example, prefers being Dominant, but she sometimes enjoys switching. Simon likes both equally, so they work well together." 

"Are they dating?" 

"They didn't start out dating, no, but they are now. Not all partners are together, but sometimes they are, or sometimes they fall in love." 

Jace eyes her curiously. "What about you?" 

"Me?" Clary tilts her chin up, staring right into his eyes, one eyebrow arching. "What do you mean?" 

"Are you dating someone? Or do you have a partner? Or both?" Jace asks boldly. 

"No, no, and no. I haven't had a sub in a while. Why are you asking?" 

"Just curious, I guess. You're the only person I've been talking to, and you don't seem to mind being honest. It, uh, helps. So...thanks." 

Clary's lips twitch up. "It takes a lot to express your gratitude, doesn't it?" 

"How could you tell?" Jace murmurs dryly, rolling his eyes at her. 

Clary's hand twitches, fingers spasming at her side, and Jace zeroes in on the action in surprise. Her delicate hand balls into a fist and she smiles tightly, jerking her chin towards the bar. 

"I see Magnus talking with Maia. You should meet him," she says calmly, her voice controlled and level. 

Jace stares at her. "You--what did I do?" 

"Nothing," Clary says, blinking slowly, her hand relaxed, no tension in her frame. It's as if he just imagined it. "Come on." 

Frowning, Jace follows behind her, looking at her hands. They're small and swaying by her slim hips, a faint smudge of paint on one of her knuckles. She must be an artist. He tries to imagine her looking like one of the art students he knew back in college but can't--messy hair and streaks of paint on her cheeks and clothes seems out of the realm of possibility for her. Of course, she probably doesn't walk around in latex every day, but still… 

As they approach the bar, Jace turns his gaze towards the few people lingering there. Maia is still working, and Simon is probably still kneeling as well, and there are two other men on the other side. The one on the left is wearing a leather vest with nothing beneath it, revealing long stretches of tan skin, and his pants are just assless chaps, showing off his ass with no shame whatsoever. When he turns slightly to the side, laughing at something Maia says, Jace can see that his front is not open and his most intimate part is covered. Beside him, another man keels with his head bent, wearing a simple black shirt and black pants, the hair atop his head messy and unkempt. 

It takes a shocking amount of time for him to realize that the man kneeling beside Magnus is _Alec._ It startles him so much that he comes to a screeching halt, blinking rapidly as he stares at his best friend. He's never seen Alec _kneel_ like this, so still and calm, almost as if he's just another stool beside the bar. 

Magnus reaches out briefly to run his fingers through Alec's hair, never breaking conversation with Maia, and Alec visibly leans into the touch. There is a purple pillow beneath his knees, as nearly all the subs who he's seen kneeling have in various other colors. The sight of it is...astonishing. 

Jace had asked before why subs are kneeling if they're not doing a scene, and she said that it's left up to the Dom's discretion what their sub does in the club--some let their subs walk around, wander away, mingle with others, and some don't. Clary also said that sometimes they're kneeling as a form of punishment, like Simon, or they're kneeling to get into the headspace for an upcoming scene. Jace can't help but wonder which it is for Alec. 

"Jace?" Clary asks, turning back to him in confusion. 

"Coming," Jace replies hastily, clearing his throat and hurrying to catch up to her, following one step behind her while they approach. 

"Magnus," Clary greets once there's a break in Maia and Magnus' conversation. 

Magnus turns with a beaming smile, his gaze lighting up as he looks between them. He's a handsome man wearing glittery make-up and his eyes are the color of whiskey when the sun shines through it. His nipples show from the open vest that reveals his chest--they're pierced. 

"Biscuit!" Magnus greets exuberantly, his hand not in Alec's hair waving wide. "You look lovely tonight, as you always do. And who is this?" 

"Yeah, I couldn't see the resemblance either," Clary says with a chuckle, gesturing between Jace and Alec with humor. "This is Jace, Alec's brother." 

The reaction is instantaneous. Alec's head snaps up, his eyes wide as he gapes at Jace, the hand in his hair becoming displaced. Magnus looks over at Alec with a bright smile, seemingly unbothered. 

"Oh, you invited your brother?" Magnus asks, sounding utterly _delighted._

"I did not," Alec grits out, red flooding his cheeks, even as he glares at Jace. 

"Wait, what?" Clary says. 

Jace coughs. "Yeah, I might have forgotten to mention that. Alec didn't invite me. He's been sneaking away without telling me where he's been going, which he _never_ does, so I...kinda followed him," he admits, growing sheepish at the end. 

Clary's hand twitches again. 

"Ah," Magnus says delicately, flicking his gaze over to Alec, clearing his throat, "I can sense that this will be a wondrous display of family drama, and while I'm _deeply_ curious to see this play out, I can't very well allow it in my club. May I suggest you take your argument outside, if there is to be one?" 

Alec is on his feet instantly. "Yes, of _course,"_ he snaps harshly, his nostrils flaring. 

Jace holds up his hand and sighs. "There's no need. _Relax,_ Alec, I'm not...freaking out or anything. I was just worried about you, that's all." 

"Right, because that gives you the right to follow me," Alec grinds out through clenched teeth. 

Magnus leans back against the bar and sighs happily, throwing Clary a proud look. "He's perfect." 

Alec blushes harder, and Jace takes a step forward, waving a hand carelessly. "Yeah, yeah, I did something wrong and should probably apologize, but I _won't_ because you honestly couldn't have expected no less from me. 

"One thing, Jace, just _one_ thing. You know I love you, I really do, but you have _zero_ comprehension of what privacy means." 

"I know what privacy is, but I still haven't quite worked out how to apply it to you yet." 

"You've had over a decade. It's about time to learn, or I'll start to _know_ you're an idiot rather than just think it," Alec bites out tersely. 

Jace ignores that and arches an eyebrow. "Does Izzy know?" 

"Part of it." 

"Which part?" 

"That I am...seeing a man, and that's where I've been disappearing off to," Alec admits. 

"And you didn't tell me this...why?" 

"That would involve telling you I'm gay." 

"Alec, dude, I been knew," Jace says. "I thought you knew that I knew that. Is _that_ why you've been so secretive with me? What kind of sense does that make? I'm bisexual, and you _know_ this." 

Magnus snorts. "Oh, this should be good." 

"You knew you were bisexual before you ever even met me," Alec says slowly. 

Jace nods. "Yeah, I've known my whole life." 

"I didn't know I was gay until…" 

"Until?" 

Alec sighs and looks away. "Until you," he mumbles. He glances over to Maia and Clary, his cheeks still a bright red. "He's not actually my brother, by the way. He's adopted. He's my best friend." 

"Oh, now it makes sense." Jace breaks out into a grin and reaches out to smack Alec lightly on the chest, still grinning cheekily when Alec smacks his hand away with a huff. "Yeah, I'm irresistible, I know. What, you thought I would care? It's cool. I mean, you're not still sporting a boner for me, right?" 

"I can confirm that he most certainly isn't," Magnus informs him lightly. 

Alec looks like he wishes the floor would open up and swallow him whole. _"No,_ Jace, I don't have a thing for you anymore. I just wasn't willing to tell you I'm gay in case you asked." 

"Joke's on you, man. I knew the whole time and never thought to ask anything." Jace chuckles and eyes Alec in amusement. "But this?" He circles a finger to gesture at the room. "Yeah, I have _endless_ questions about this. All of which could have been avoided had you just _told_ me the same thing you told Izzy. And, by the way, I am one hundred percent ratting you out to her, simply because this is a once in a lifetime chance to shock her. Can't pass that up." 

"I literally hate you so much," Alec declares flatly. 

Jace smirks. "Love you, too." 

"I hope you know that the _moment_ we get outside, I'm hitting you," Alec tells him calmly. 

"Ooh, kinky," Jace teases. "Are you into that kind of thing? Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me." He glances over to Magnus with a shrug. "He's prone to bouts of violence, you know." 

Magnus arches an eyebrow. "Is he?" 

"I am _not,"_ Alec snaps. "Hitting you over the head isn't violence, it's a public service. Who else will keep your ass in line?" 

"I'm sure we could find someone here," Maia says from behind the bar, thoroughly entertained. 

Clary shares a look with her. "Makes your hand itch, doesn't he?" 

"Yeah, he does." Maia sighs softly. 

Having relaxed in Alec's presence, Jace is slightly surprised to find himself clearing his throat and crossing his arms. "Uh, how's Simon doing?" 

"You met Simon?" Alec mutters. 

Jace nods. "Yeah, we're friends." 

"He's fine," Maia says, glancing down behind the bar with pursed lips. "It's a shame he can't join the conversation; I'm sure he'd have _a lot_ to say." 

"Friends?" Alec's face scrunches up and he runs a hand through his hair. "How long have you been here?" 

"Oh, nearly two hours," Clary informs him with a small smile. "I gave him the full tour." 

Alec arches an eyebrow. "You didn't immediately leave? Seriously?" 

"Nah, why would I do that?" Jace tilts his head, adopting an innocent expression. "Nothing unusual to send me packing." 

"You have no idea how to get back home, do you?" 

"Not a fucking clue." 

Alec snorts and shakes his head, turning to look at Magnus, his eyes softening immediately. "I should probably get him home. I'm sorry. I…" 

"It's fine, darling," Magnus says with a sweet smile, reaching out to brush his fingers over Alec's cheek for a brief moment. "I'll see you back here tomorrow, yes? You're off from work, right?" 

"Yes," Alec replies, visibly biting back something else. He's blushing again. "We should--" 

"Hey, uh, thanks again," Jace says, cutting off Alec's flustered rambling to address Clary. He stares at her for a moment, his stomach clenching again. "You really helped me out." 

Clary watches him for a moment, then her lips curl up into a small smile. "That, and I imagine I've given you plenty to think about. Google is your friend, Jace, but it's not always accurate. If you have any other questions, you know where to find me." 

Jace's heart flip-flops in his chest. "Yeah, I guess I do." 

A few moments later, Jace is exiting the club with Alec at his side. The moment they step off the top step, Alec cuffs him over the head, and Jace shoves him away with a laugh. They don't get into a playful scuffle like they normally would, both falling into a contemplative silence. As they head out of the alley, just before they turn the corner, Jace looks back at the steps with his bottom lip caught between his teeth, something fluttering in his chest. 

He knows then and there that he'll be back. 

* * *

"This is so _weird."_

Jace shares a look with Izzy, both of them grinning at Alec's discomfort. He scowls at them. 

"What's weird about it?" Izzy asks lightly. 

Alec wrinkles his nose. "It's like...watching porn in front of your parents. Just...no."

"But you're not going to be stripped down and put on display or anything, so it's fine. Besides, Clary said BDSM doesn't have to be sexual, that it's a lifestyle," Jace says casually. "We're not here to watch you do whatever it is you do with Magnus. _I'm_ here for Clary, and Izzy is here for proof." 

"Well, that, and it's rather interesting, isn't it? I've always wondered, you know." Izzy shrugs when they both look at her. "Jace told me about some of it, and you could say I'm...curious." 

"You've always said you wanted to walk on someone in your heels," Alec mutters, heaving a sigh. 

Izzy's eyes brighten. "Exactly! And, oh, could you imagine me with a whip? That would be _fun."_

Alec and Jace grimace in unison. 

"You know it's more than that, right?" Alec glances between them with a frown. "It's not just a way to get a girlfriend, or some place to play with toys." 

"We can learn," Izzy assures him. "You'll go off with Magnus, and me and Jace will find Clary so I can badger her with questions." 

"And _if_ it's not for us, you'll never have to worry about it again," Jace says easily. 

Alec narrows his eyes. "If it is, then what?" 

Jace grins at him. "Then we can start taking a cab and splitting the fare." 

Alec sighs. 

Shortly after, they're walking down the steps down into Pandemonium. Izzy is blatantly curious, peering around as they descend farther and eventually stepping in through the door. Raphael is behind the desk again, and when he looks up, he sighs. 

"What did I say?" Raphael gestures to Izzy, rolling his eyes. "The sister is here now, too." 

Alec scowls. "Raphael, I assure you, this is not my doing. They're very...insistent." 

"Sure," Raphael says blandly, waving a hand carelessly to the door. "Alec, feel free to go ahead. Jace and lady Lightwood, you both need to hang back for proper assessment and logging into the system." 

Izzy shoots Jace an odd look. "You didn't get processed last time?" 

"A mistake on my part." Raphael narrows his eyes at Jace. "You slipped in here under my watch, uninvited, completely unaware of this place. If Magnus wouldn't be displeased, I'd throw you out." 

Alec tosses him a smirk and disappears through the door, leaving Jace to chuckle awkwardly. "You know, it's a really funny story _why_ I did that, if you want to hear it. See, I was--"

"I don't." Raphael arches an eyebrow at him. "Want to hear it, that is. Now, grab your IDs and listen to me explain the benefits of a membership." 

The process is quite a long one, but nothing too extensive. Even still, by the time they walk into the club, Alec is nowhere to be seen. Raphael had assured them that someone would be around to give Izzy the tour soon enough, so Jace is just patiently waiting for Clary to show up--and by _patiently,_ he means that his stomach is quivering nervously. 

"Oh, wow," Izzy breathes out, sounding utterly _delighted,_ her smile beaming as she looks around at all the things Jace has only seen once. 

Jace hums. "Yeah, I know." 

Izzy doesn't actually stand out. She had a white latex two-piece that she was apparently just _aching_ to break out, and this is the perfect place for it, to be fair. Jace, himself, has upgraded from his loose jeans and black sweater from last time, and now wears very form-fitting black jeans and a leather jacket. He's very aware that he looks good, and knowing all that he does _now,_ he doesn't feel so out of his element. 

Jace had definitely googled every single thing he could about BDSM, as well as bombarded Alec with as many questions as he could get away with--mostly about Clary, which was a bust. Turns out, Alec doesn't really care about anyone who works at the club, not the way he does Magnus. 

"Oh, hey, Jace!" 

Jace jolts and looks to the left in perfect sync with Izzy, blinking rapidly as soon as he sees, for the first time, Simon standing on his own two feet. 

"Simon," Jace blurts out in surprise. 

Simon grins at him. "Hey, man! I was hoping you'd show back up. Not that often I get to make a lot of friends while on my knees, you know." 

"Really?" Jace says in amusement. "I'd think that's exactly the place to make friends." 

"Fair point." Simon chuckles warmly and glances over at Izzy for the first time, doing a double-take in surprise. "Oh. Y-you must be Izzy. Um, I'm--I mean, I'm supposed to be giving you a tour." 

Izzy smiles winningly at him, offering her hand out, as if she's giving him a gift. "It's lovely to meet you, Simon. Jace told me a little about you." 

Simon carefully takes her hand for a brief moment, shaking it quickly. "Well, I'm your guide for tonight, so any other questions you have, I'll be happy to answer. Jace, are you joining us?" 

"Well, actually, I was wondering where Clary was," Jace admits shamelessly. 

"Were you?" Simon's lips twitch as his gaze flicks over Jace in blatant appreciation. "Mm, this could be very good. Yeah, she's actually over at the bar, hanging out with Maia. You should go talk to her."

"Right, thanks," Jace says distractedly, already pulling away. "Have fun, Iz." 

And then he's gone. Izzy will be fine, and Jace already likes Simon enough to trust him with his sister, so he leaves them to their own devices in favor of finding Clary. He eventually spots her at the bar as he approaches, and his heart flutters in his chest. 

She looks unfairly good. Despite the fact that she has a dainty frame and fair skin, nothing about her is small or muted. Her hair is the color of a flame, and she exudes presence even as she just _sits_ there. Jace feels like a planet sucked into her gravitational pull. Tonight, she's wearing leather pants--the kind that glisten in the lights and hug her body from hip to ankle--and her sleeveless peplum top is white to match her white lace-up high-heeled boots. The sight of her makes his breath catch in his throat. 

As he approaches, Maia looks up and a grin splits her face. "Well, well, well. Guess who decided to show up again," she says with a smirk. 

Clary casually looks over her shoulder, and she freezes in place as she flicks her gaze over him, lips curling up. "Jace," she greets calmly. 

"Clary," Jace replies casually, sliding into the stool beside her, flashing them both a grin, "Maia. Lovely to see you both again." 

"The feeling is _very_ mutual, I assure you," Maia tells him with amusement dancing in her eyes. "Did you see Simon? He's up and walking around tonight." 

"I spoke with him, yeah. Gotta admit, I like him better on his knees," Jace replies cheekily. 

"I imagine he'd say the same about you." Maia picks up a glass and winks at him. "Can I get you a drink?" 

Jace shakes his head. "Nah, not tonight. I just came over to see you two." 

"I'm guessing you had more questions," Clary says, turning fully to face him, her eyes scanning his face. 

"There are some things Google can't explain," Jace admits, lips twitching. 

Clary eases all of her hair over one shoulder, revealing a long stripe of her pale throat, the sight of it making Jace's mouth water. "Such as?" she asks. 

"There's a very large difference between understanding something from theory and understanding something from experience," Jace explains slowly, glancing over to Maia, only to find that she's gone to the other end of the bar to talk to Simon, who's still giving Izzy the tour. He hadn't noticed that at all. 

"You're right," Clary agrees, tapping one finger to the bar in a methodical rhythm. Up...down, up...down, tap...tap, tap...tap. "And you're interested in the experience part?" 

"You could say I'm curious," Jace admits, tilting his head and smirking at her. 

Clary's eyes brighten. "Do you want to play, Jace?" 

"With you?" 

"I'm not asking on anyone else's behalf." 

"In that case," Jace murmurs, "yes." 

"You've never done anything before, right?" Clary checks, watching him intently. 

Jace licks his lips. "I _thought_ I was fairly kinky with partners before, but I've been slapped with reality to learn that I have not. I had sex with a guy in a changing room while people were outside, once, and a girl made me realize how much I liked scratching. I've always liked rough sex. But...anything like _this,_ no, I've never done it." 

"So, you should probably see more than you do." Clary hums and surveys him curiously, her head canting to the side. "Would you be willing to kneel, Jace? Do you think you'd enjoy kneeling at my feet?" 

The way she words that, _kneeling at my feet._ It makes his stomach drop out from under him, swooping, but in a good way. Just that, those words and the way she says them, excites him more than he's prepared for. His mouth goes dry and he swallows. 

"Yeah, that's--I'd be willing to do that, yes," Jace croaks out, his heart hammering in his chest. 

"Good." Clary pushes up from the stool and smiles at him. "Stay here. I'll be back." 

Jace just nods, watching her walk away, his eyes following her through the crowd until she disappears. He exhales shakily and glances down at the bar-top, staring at his threaded fingers. 

It's odd, in a way, but he knows that he _wants_ Clary. He's not sure in what way, maybe every way. 

He likes her smile, his heart clenches every time humor lights up in her eyes, and his fingers itch with the urge to touch her. He wants to get his hands into her hair, to kiss her as thoroughly as he can get away with, to cup her waist in his palms and drag her closer. He aches to find out what her hobbies are, what her life is like, what her hopes and dreams and childhood experiences and future plans are. Even more than that, he wants to know the most mundane things about her--how she takes her coffee, if she even drinks it; which shoe she puts on first; what her favorite color is; what brand of toothpaste she uses. 

He's interested in her and attracted to her, and he isn't even ashamed of how drawn to her he is. 

And this, her lifestyle...he wants to know about that, too. He's curious how she fits into it, how she got into it, how it affects her life outside of the club. A part of him yearns to know if he can fit into it with her, if he has an affinity to the lifestyle himself. 

"Hey." Izzy suddenly appears at his shoulder, smiling at him. "Was that Clary?" 

Jace nods. "The very one." 

"She's pretty." 

"Yes, she is." 

Izzy chuckles and cocks her head. "Simon says she's a Domme. If you were to get involved, that would make you her sub, right? That's how it works, if I understand it correctly." 

"Yeah," Jace says simply. 

"And you _want_ to do that?" Izzy asks, arching an eyebrow at him in surprise. 

Jace shrugs. "No idea. Can't hurt to find out, though. You know, Alec likes it." 

"I don't," Izzy tells him casually. 

"How would you know?" Jace leans forward and studies her curiously. "You've never tried it." 

"That's true. Maybe I'm wrong, but I get the feeling that I wouldn't enjoy being submissive to _anyone._ It just doesn't...fit. I'm more enticed by the opposite," Izzy admits shamelessly. 

"Are you going to try anything?" 

"Well, Simon says he's Domming tonight, so he'll show me some things, possibly with Maia. She's cute, isn't she?" 

"Yeah, for sure." 

"They both are," Izzy murmurs, looking over her shoulder to glance at Maia and Simon, who are talking casually. 

Jace flicks his gaze over the pair. "Yeah, they are." 

They _are,_ but he doesn't have the same reaction to them as Clary. Sure, they're hot and he would have fun with them, objectively, but they don't make the world disappear. They don't make his nerves zing with energy and anticipation, they don't make his heart beat furiously in his chest, and they don't make his mind run in circles with endless questions about them. He doesn't know if he'd immediately agree to kneel at either of their feet at the drop of the hat, if they were to ask, but there's not a world in which he could ever imagine himself refusing Clary that. 

Simon suddenly breaks away from Maia to approach Izzy with a smile. "Ready to go see the next thing on the tour?" he asks in a silly tour-guide voice. 

Izzy's lips break into a grin. "Sure. How long does the tour take in full?" 

"Usually a little over an hour, close to two. There's normally a lot of stopping to explain and answer questions," Simon tells her casually. He flicks his gaze to Jace. "Are you gonna hang out at the bar, or would you like to come with us?" 

Jace shakes his head. "I'm doing something with Clary. She told me to wait here." 

"Ah," Simon says, like that makes all the sense in the world. He bobs his head. "Alright, man, have fun. Maybe we'll run into you after." 

With that, Simon waves out an arm with a flourish, and he and Izzy sweep off. Jace scans the club, his gaze catching on the various patrons. It's not as shocking to see people naked as before, and the sight of subs kneeling next to their Doms doesn't startle him as much. He realizes that he'll be among that group in a moment, but he has no idea how he's going to feel about that. 

Briefly, he catches sight of Magnus. He looks as equally good tonight as he did the last time Jace saw him. He's wearing another vest that hangs open to reveal his bare chest--leather this time--and what appears to be sparkling go-go shorts. Alec isn't kneeling beside him, just standing beside him, his hands behind his back. It takes Jace a moment to realize that Alec's hands are _tied_ behind his back, but as soon as he does, he quickly looks away. 

Clary's on her way back, her head held high as she walks. She's carrying a black pillow about the size of a throw pillow, one you'd usually place on a couch for decoration, but Jace instantly knows it's for his knees. His stomach squirms at the sight. 

"You know, I'll still be a little uncomfortable, pillow or not," Jace muses when she comes to a stop beside him, his lips curling up. 

Clary nods. "That's the point. A bite of discomfort can be pleasurable, I've been told. The pleasure comes from the fact that you're kneeling for me, at my feet, and you know you can't get up until I tell you to. Unless, of course, you truly want to." 

"Then what's the point?" Jace takes the pillow when she offers it to him, swiping his thumbs over the soft velvet lining. "If I know I can just get up at any time, why kneel at all?" 

"The relinquishing of control. Sure, you _could_ just get up and walk away, especially if you tell me you're uncomfortable. But, when you let go and put that decision in my hands, it becomes a sign of trust. You will look to me for permission to stand, and every moment that you kneel as I want you to, you will be pleasing me, which will, in turn, please you." 

"So...I can't just get up whenever I want?" 

"If you wish to stand at any point, tell me first. I'd like for you to kneel until I tell you otherwise, but if you don't like it, you don't _have to."_

"And where am I going to be kneeling?" 

Clary hums. "I have some friends that granted us permission to watch in a moment. One of them, you already know. Raphael, who's a Dom. Then there's Meliorn, who's a switch." 

"Are they, like, together?" 

"No, they just do scenes together. They definitely have a good relationship, though," Clary explains in amusement. 

Jace scans her face, her green eyes sparkling with humor, the corner of her lips curled up. "As soon as I leave this stool, I won't be allowed to talk to anyone or do anything unless you tell me to, right?" 

"That's not how it works." Clary sighs and reaches out to take the pillow back. "It is entirely up to the Dominant's discretion what their sub is and isn't allowed to do. Like, for example, Simon almost _never_ stops Maia from doing whatever she wants to do when she's his sub unless they're in a scene, but in reverse, she controls everything he does. I'll admit, I like the idea of you doing nothing but kneeling unless I tell you otherwise, but that may be a bit--" 

"I'll do it," Jace cuts her off, clearing his throat when her eyebrows jump in surprise. "At least for the time that we're watching your friends. Just--I wanted to know if I would have to tell you that you're beautiful right now, or whether I can do it on my knees." 

Clary's breath hitches, her fingers tightening on the pillow. When she speaks, her voice is huskier than before. "I'm sure hearing you say that on your knees would be...enticing, but something else excites me just a bit more." 

"What?" 

"Knowing that you'll want to say it, but that you can't because you're not allowed to speak." 

"Oh." Jace sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, holding her gaze, his heart racing in his chest. "In that case, I'm glad I mentioned it now. You truly are beautiful, Clary." 

"So are you," Clary replies instantly, the words falling out with a faintness that comes from believing them wholeheartedly as she says them. She blinks and coughs slightly. "If you're ready, we can go. The moment your knees hit this pillow, you don't speak unless it's to tell me that you wish to stand, look away, or leave. If you are uncomfortable or don't like something, do _not_ hesitate to tell me. It won't disappoint me; I'll be more pleased that you told me, that you trust me enough to tell me, than if you hid it. Do you understand?" 

Jace holds his breath for a moment, coming to the terms that this is about to _actually_ happen, that he's about to do this. His mouth is dry. "I understand," he finally manages to croak out. 

"Alright," Clary says, nodding, "let's go." 

* * *

Raphael is practically modest compared to everyone else in the club, wearing a suit that brings the black out in his eyes and shows off just how broad his shoulders are. Meliorn has dark eyes that seem to have blue flecks in them when the light catches it the right way, and he's completely naked, draped over what Clary had informed him--upon their first meeting, on the tour--is a spanking bench. His arms and legs are strapped down, his ass on display, his head resting casually on the headrest. 

The both of them are unnaturally gorgeous, and though Meliorn might even be the most attractive to some, Jace finds his gaze returning to Raphael over and over. The strength in his shoulders, the way he circles Meliorn slowly, the steadiness of his voice as he speaks quietly. 

Clary had informed him that Raphael is asexual, that he feels no sexual desire, that he likes Meliorn as a partner because he never has any illusions about getting in a relationship with him. 

"Jace," Clary says, drawing his attention. 

He blinks at her. "Yeah?" 

"Are you comfortable with me touching you?" 

"Like…" 

"In general," Clary says calmly. "A hand on your shoulder, on your elbow, in your hair, maybe your face. Will you allow that?" 

"Yeah," Jace replies instantly, needing absolutely no time to think about that. "You can touch me wherever you want, Clary." 

Clary offers him a smile. "Good. Follow me," she says, reaching out to lightly press her hand to the small of his back and guide him. 

He feels...escorted, in a weird way. It's a bit of a role-reversal for her to lead him like this, as he'd usually associate the touch the other way around, and it baffles him for a moment. He doesn't falter, though. He lets her gently push him to the left, bringing him closer to Meliorn's face. She doesn't stop until he's practically right in front of Meliorn, who smiles and winks at him. 

"Um," Jace says, "hi?" 

Clary pulls him slightly to the side so he can see down the length of Meliorn's body, though he's close to his face. Then, without preamble, she drops the pillow to the floor and arches an eyebrow. 

"Kneel," she says simply. 

Jace blinks once, twice, and a third time before he falls to his knees right then and there. 

The moment his knees hit the pillow, his mouth snaps shut and his heart starts racing. Clary is still standing beside him, her hip right next to his shoulder, and he wants to look up at her. He doesn't. He stares right at Meliorn, who has closed his eyes and seems to be meditating. 

"Colors?" Raphael asks, his voice loud enough to carry over the bustle of the club and the faint music. Now Jace knows why the music is so quiet--for safewords to be heard easily. 

Meliorn hums and opens his eyes. "Green; go. Yellow; slow down. Red; stop." 

"Good," Raphael says simply, then moves into position behind Meliorn. 

Jace's eyes are fixed on Raphael and his raised hand, his mind strangely quiet. In this moment, he knows nothing but Clary and what she has him watching. There's a barely-there twinge in his knees, despite the pillow, but he doesn't even fully notice. 

Raphael's face is smooth, almost serious, and he gives no warning before his hand comes down. Meliorn's body jolts and the smack rings in the quiet of Jace's mind. Frantically, he glances to Meliorn's face, taking in the way his eyes flutter shut, his lips parting just slightly. 

Jace's heart flip-flops in his chest. 

"Comfortable?" Clary's voice suddenly sounds out right by his ear, making him whip his head to the side to stare at her. "No, don't look at me, look at them. Answer me with a nod, or shake your head. Are you comfortable?" 

Jace nods, swallowing thickly as he quickly looks away and watches Raphael strike Meliorn again, whose mouth opens just a bit wider. 

Raphael hits Meliorn again, and again, and again--all in quick succession, his hand moving from one cheek to the next. Meliorn grips the hand-rests hard, his eyes closed as he breathes heavily, mouth no longer open at all as he bites his lip. Jace doesn't realize he's also biting his bottom lip until Clary's fingers suddenly push into his hair, making him bite down in reaction. The sensation of her short nails lightly scraping over his scalp sends heat slithering down his spine, his stomach tightening in response. 

Meliorn looks in bliss, and Raphael, sounding pleased, calls out, "Color?"

"Green," Meliorn chokes out. 

That seems to make Raphael satisfied, just hearing that, and he spends some time rubbing the same places that he'd hit only a few moments prior. 

"Are you imagining yourself up there?" Clary suddenly asks, her voice soft but level, bending down to talk right into his ear. 

Jace wasn't, but he is _now._ He suddenly has a flash of himself restrained to the bench, his ass full of heat, a shock of pain intermingled with pleasure coming out of nowhere whenever Clary hits him. And he's not surprised to find that he's imagining her rather than Raphael. His mind conjures up the image of him getting spanked--him!--and it automatically provides Clary with the role to do the spanking. 

Swallowing, Jace nods. 

Clary hums, lightly dragging her fingers through her hair. "Are you picturing me doing it to you?" 

Another nod. Clary's fingers tighten in his hair, not roughly but _there._

"Do you like the idea?" 

Nod. 

"So do I. A lot. You'd be so pretty, Jace, I swear you would. Bent over for me, a bright red ass with the shape of my hand all over you, possessively." 

Jace nods helplessly, wanting desperately to tell her how fucking _good_ that sounds, but he doesn't dare open his mouth and speak. His eyes sink closed as he imagines it, skin tingling all over, mouth watering. There's something so _erotic_ about it, and whatever shame he thinks he should feel doesn't exist. 

Clary's fingers tighten in his hair again, this time roughly, almost to a startling painful point. His eyes snap open in surprise and her grip eases instantly, fingers petting now. Upon reflection, it hadn't hurt at all, but he hadn't expected it, and the fact that she may do it again fills him with anticipation. 

"Don't close your eyes," Clary murmurs, her warm breath wafting over his ear and neck. He shivers. "Keep watching them, Jace. Look at how much they're enjoying themselves, look at how good this feels for Meliorn. _Look."_

Jace does, blinking rapidly as he focuses. Raphael looks relaxed in a way he never does behind the desk out front, and Meliorn seems as if he's actually being fucked and _very thoroughly._ His head is tipped back, mouth parted as he moans low in his throat, eyes open but glassy with pleasure. 

There's a sudden battle in Jace's mind. He wants to keep looking because Clary told him to, because he wants to please her, because he wants to keep watching. And yet...he also wants to close his eyes just to feel her fingers tighten harshly in his hair again. He argues with himself, shifting restlessly in place, his heart racing in his chest. There's something exciting about the idea of going against Clary's orders and getting put in his place, but he also _deeply_ wants to be good for her. 

Raphael's hand suddenly comes down on Meliorn's ass with a sharp crack that takes his full attention, making his decision for him. It _sounds_ painful, and Jace watches in fascination as Meliorn groans, his head rolling forward as his entire body trembles. Jace can't look away if he even wanted to. 

"Color?" Raphael asks. 

Meliorn pauses, shifting as much as his restraints will allow, and he mutters a petulant, "Yellow," sounding annoyed by his own answer. 

Raphael hums. "Thank you," he says, almost cordially, and he steps forward to rub at Meliorn's tender cheeks, which makes Meliorn sigh. 

"That's good. It means that Meliorn trusts Raphael to slow down, not to push him past his limit," Clary murmurs in his ear. "He'll give Meliorn some time to rest, and he'll massage his skin, and he'll start lighter before building back up again. There are times where the sub can handle a sudden spike in pain, and others need to be gradually led to that point over time. Meliorn, from what he's told me, usually doesn't mind the sudden spike--in fact, he has said that he likes it--but it's not working for him right now. Raphael respects that, and is _thankful_ that Meliorn communicates that to him." 

Jace nods. He gets that. It makes complete sense. There's almost something...sweet about it, about the fact that Raphael just wants Meliorn to enjoy it. There _is_ a lot of trust involved, and that's the most daunting part, Jace thinks. 

Here he is, just kneeling on a pillow and not speaking. Meliorn, however, is strapped down and unable to move that much. If he wanted to get up and get away, he can't just jump up and flee like Jace can; he'd have to tell Raphael, have to be brave enough to admit that he can't take something. 

As intimidating as that seems, there's a whole other side to it that Jace is just now getting to see firsthand. He'd read about it, of course, but this is different. There's obviously something liberating about giving yourself over fully to sensation--pleasure _and_ pain--while trusting your body and wellbeing to someone else, giving that control away and freeing yourself. 

"Color?" Raphael checks suddenly. 

Meliorn sounds pleased when he says, "Green!" 

Jace waits with a bated breath, eyes fixated on Meliorn's face as Raphael's hand comes down again. It's a lighter hit this time, just like Clary said it would be, and Meliorn gasps quietly--a sound of clear pleasure. 

It's at this precise moment Jace realizes that he's actually, _genuinely_ sporting a hard-on in his jeans. He only notices because he shifts his weight from one knee to the other and the denim tightens around his hard cock. It surprises him that he hadn't registered it, too caught up with what was going on around him. 

Jace squirms in place, clearing his throat. 

"Are you alright?" Clary asks him. 

He tips his head from side-to-side, not a yes but not a no. A moment later, the hand in his hair drifts down to his chin, tilting his face up. Jace is instantly relieved to see Clary, to look at her warm gaze and beautiful face--he hadn't even realized how much he missed looking at her until this moment. 

"You can tell me what's going on," Clary tells him softly, watching him intently. 

Jace opens his mouth and what comes out is, "I want you to do that to my hair again, what you did before when I closed my eyes, but I don't want…" 

Clary searches his gaze with her own. "You don't want to disobey me." 

Though he can talk, Jace finds that he can't speak, so he nods again. He figures he should also explain why he's struggling to sit still as well, even if his cheeks are flooding with heat. "I also happen to be a little turned on at the moment, so that's part of the reason I'm, uh, moving around." 

"Ah," Clary says simply. She smiles at him. "Thanks for telling me. Anything else?" 

Jace shakes his head. "No." 

"Okay. In that case, don't speak anymore. Go back to watching," Clary orders calmly, moving her hand back up to his hair and lightly stroking it. 

Doing as he's told, he turns back to watch. Raphael is slowly hitting harder and harder before alternating back to soft, cupping his hand, pausing to massage. Meliorn's head has dropped to the headrest, eyes wide open unseeingly, lips parted as he pants. It takes a long time before Raphael hits him as hard as he did before, and when he does, Meliorn releases a sharp keen as his back attempts to arch on the bench. 

"Color?" Raphael asks gruffly. 

Meliorn gasps out, "Green," and it almost sounds like a demand as he does. 

Raphael doesn't deny him, but he doesn't hit as hard after that. In fact, his hits are sporadic and slowing, and he seems to be doing more massaging than hitting. Meliorn seems unbearably calm and blissed out, humming in approval whenever Raphael rubs his sensitive skin, gasping softly whenever Raphael _does_ hit him again--no matter how lightly he does. 

"He's winding down," Clary murmurs, back to leaning down to speak in his ear. "They have their own signals worked out to how it will end, but you can tell by how Raphael is slowing." 

Jace nods, watching intently. 

"Did you enjoy it?" 

Another nod.

"You enjoyed seeing it so much, and you were so good for me, never standing and never speaking without permission. I'm glad you liked it, Jace, I really am. It makes me happy to know that you pictured us together like that. I'd like to do it one day, to take care of you, to make sure you'd feel it. You would the next day; every time you sat down, every time you shifted or took a step, you would feel it and remember. You would think of me." 

More nods, this time frantic and emphatic, and Clary chuckles throatily in his ear. 

"You're so good, so good," Clary whispers, her fingers dragging through his hair. "I'm going to reward you for that." 

Her fingers grip his hair, tightening and roughly tugging on it. Without even meaning to, he inhales sharply as his cock gives a valiant twitch in his pants. A harsh tingle jolts through him, making goosebumps break out all over his flesh. He can't bite back the short groan that crawls up his throat, and when Clary hums in approval, he's glad it escaped. 

Her hand falls away and she says, "As Raphael takes care of Meliorn, I want you to take deep breaths until you're no longer turned-on. Then, and only then, you can stand up." 

Clary straightens back up, leaving him to his task. Jace watches Raphael slowly release Meliorn from his restraints, stroking his skin and murmuring softly to him. Meliorn responds quietly, seemingly fully relaxed, and one of his freed hands has come out to touch Raphael as he works to free him. The sight of it is surprisingly _sweet,_ and Jace takes deep breath after deep breath, his cock softening over time. 

By the time Meliorn is off the bench, slumped over in one of the armchairs, Raphael is cleaning the bench after use, and Jace is calm. He watches Raphael clean up before going over to sit on the arm of the chair, letting Meliorn lean over into him without comment. 

After one more beat, Jace stands up. He nearly stumbles, the ache in his knees letting itself be known. He blinks rapidly in surprise, catching himself and hissing in a breath through his teeth. The sting of the pain lessens to a dull throb, and he's hardpressed to resent it--the feeling only reminds him that he'd knelt at Clary's feet, pleasing her, and he strangely takes pride in it. 

"This is all very new for you, so if you feel the need to touch or relax, you can," Clary assures him gently, looking up at him with a pleased smile. 

Jace opens his mouth, about to speak, then can't remember if he's allowed. He waits. 

Clary's lips twitch. "You can talk now." 

"That's probably the longest I've ever gone without talking," Jace admits with a grin. 

"Sleep?" Clary suggests. 

Jace shakes his head. "I talk in my sleep. You don't?" 

"No, but I've been reliably informed that I snore," Clary admits with amusement dancing in her eyes. Her face softens and she steps closer. "Again, if you need some contact, or to rest--" 

"Where?" Jace asks, and when her lips tip down in confusion, he smirks. _"Where_ can I touch you?" 

Clary huffs a short laugh. "Skin-on-skin contact can be comforting, and it's great for aftercare. I wouldn't necessarily call what we just did a scene, but it did put you in a position you've never been in before." 

"So, basically, what you're saying is that I could get away with a hug right now?" 

"Yes, you could." 

"Then, yes, I need _all_ the aftercare," Jace says with a straight face, watching Clary chuckle. 

Clary smiles dutifully at him and steps forward to reach up, easing her arms around his neck and pressing flush against him. Her fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck while her palms lightly squeeze and massage the muscle there. His arms automatically slide around her, his heart thundering in his ears, stunned by how perfectly she fits into his arms, how her head lays against his chest. 

She smells like vanilla, ironically enough, with just a hint of lavender, and she's so warm that he never wants to let her go. It hits him that there is a real, tangible person _holding_ him, who he's holding in return, and that feels good in a way he hadn't been prepared for--that fact that it's _her_ only makes it better. Without even meaning to, he sags into the hug, pressing his face into her hair and breathing her in, eyes closing as he basks in the embrace. 

For a long time, they stand like that, and no one interrupts. Jace hasn't been tense or distressed, but he's somehow relaxed and calmer than before. Even when they break apart, naturally and all at once, he feels settled from the moment. 

"We should go mingle and have some social interaction. I'm pretty sure I spied some friends of mine on the couches over there." Clary nods to the side, gesturing to the clutter of couches with a jerk of her chin. "You don't have to come, but--" 

"It sounds fun," Jace tells her honestly, his lips curling up. "Introduce me to your friends." 

Clary grins at him. 

* * *

Tessa, Will, and Jem are… 

Well, Jace has to admit that they're a lot of fun, if not a bit eccentric. Will is a _very_ beautiful man with wildly blue eyes and haphazard black hair, and Jem's beauty can seem muted in comparison but most certainly isn't--his brown eyes seem to have silver flecks in them when the light hits them the right way, and his smile is as calming as it is pretty. Tessa is as tall as her two lovers with significantly longer legs, and her grey eyes light up every time she tosses her head back and laughs brightly. 

Jace is immediately comfortable with them. Will has a peculiar humor, regaling stories and poetry at any point in the conversation, and he often drags Tessa into long tangents and bits that are funny regardless of whether Jace gets the references or not--Jem always looks on with fond amusement. Tessa is fierce in pretty much _everything,_ from the way she gestures to the way she talks, and yet there's something soft about her as well. Jem, as quiet as he can be, has a biting wit and seems exceptionally skilled in wrangling Will, though he doesn't seem to try with Tessa, leaving her to her whims. 

There's something timeless about all of them, though Jem and Tessa more than Will. It's like they could exist in any century and still be as compelling and relevant as they are right now. 

Jace is, perhaps, slightly in awe of them. 

"And I tell you," Will declares grandly, "the duck declared war upon my person!" 

"You _too?"_ Jace blurts out, leaning forward to stare at him with rapt attention. "There was a lake at my childhood home, before I was adopted, and I swear to _god_ the ducks had a vendetta against me." 

"Don't encourage him," Jem murmurs, sharing a smile with Tessa. 

Jace and Will exchange a knowing look, both very aware of the monstrous qualities of a duck. 

"When were you adopted?" Clary asks, crossing her legs and watching him curiously. 

"The Lightwoods adopted me when I was ten. I didn't have siblings before that," Jace explains easily. He shoots her an odd look. "So, you've known Alec for a little while now. Are you two...friends?" 

"Alec and I got off to a rocky start. I accidentally offended him," Clary admits sheepishly. 

"Oh, yes, you and Alec were…" Tessa widens her eyes and tips her head from side-to-side. 

"There's a story there," Jace notes, raising his eyebrows and eyeing Clary. "I wanna hear it." 

"I knew he was gay the moment he walked through the door. I didn't know he was in the closet, or anything," Clary mutters defensively. "Sexuality isn't anything to be ashamed of, and I certainly never have, especially not here, so I guess I forgot that some people still deal with repression and fear. I made an innocent comment and it pissed him off." 

"To clarify," Jem says lightly, "she tried to reassure him that she wasn't propositioning him because she knew he was gay." 

Clary rolls her eyes. "He looked worried there for a moment, so I was trying to make it better, but instead I made it worse. But, ooh! I made it better because I introduced him to Magnus, so I think he hates me a little less now. We're moving into frenemy territory now, I think." 

"That's perfect," Jace says with a grin. 

"No, you know what is _genuinely_ perfect?" Tessa narrows her eyes at Jace. "Your hair. I hate it when a man's hair is better than mine. What shampoo do you use? No, scratch that, I need your entire hair-care routine as bullet-points for me to study." 

"It's also unfairly soft," Clary puts in with a sigh, shaking her head. 

"Is it?" Will sits forward, his eyes lighting up with mischievous delight. "Why, Ms. Fray, have you found yourself a new sub?" 

"If so, this would be the first I heard of it," Jem says, eyeing Clary curiously. 

Tessa chuckles. _"If_ so, I commend you greatly." 

"Nothing like that," Clary says with a simple smile, the words and the casual way she says them feeling like a cut to Jace's knees. 

"Oh, you've distressed him," Jem says, clicking his tongue and staring at Jace in well-meaning concern. "Don't take offense, Jace. Clary having a sub is something of an anomaly these days, after Jonathan. I'm sure you'd be a wonderful sub." 

Jace frowns. "Jonathan?" he asks in confusion, looking over to Clary, who has gone tense. 

"Excuse me," Clary says stiffly, pushing to her feet and walking away without another word. 

Will sighs. "Very well done, Jem." 

"It's at this point that I'm once more wishing I could communicate telepathically to whomever I wish, rather than address a group all at once with audible words," Jem admits awkwardly. 

"She knows you mean no harm," Tessa murmurs, staring after her friend sadly. When she does pull her gaze away, she looks at Jace seriously. "You were sure to find out eventually. It has long since occurred, and yet people still discuss it. I'm sure you would have heard at some point, regardless." 

"Heard _what?"_ Jace mutters, twisting his hands in his lap, his heart racing in his chest. "Who's Jonathan?" 

"Clary's brother. He--much like you, I've heard--followed his sibling to this club. Rather than react supportively as you did for Alec, however, Jonathan treated Clary with scorn and disgust for her lifestyle." Tessa's lips tighten in displeasure. "Her parents split up when they were really young, and Jonathan begged to stay with their father while Clary pleaded to stay with their mother. The upbringing between the two is...very much at odds." 

"Clary is no angel, but next to Jonathan, she looks like the embodiment of an angel's most innocent parts," Will says flatly. "He is despicable, truly." 

"He showed up here and caused a horrendous scene," Jem explains with a grimace. "He had to be thrown out, of course, but not before causing Clary to feel mortified and unfounded shame. She took time off, which Magnus granted her, and it was nearly three months before she even returned--since then, she has not taken a sub on and it is even more rare for her to interact with one." 

Jace swallows thickly, thrown for a loop. He tries to imagine doing something like that to Alec, even if he absolutely detested anything related to BDSM, but he's unable to even picture it. He knows how much that could hurt someone, to have a person they hope will love them regardless of what they do or love, only for that person to hate them instead for who they are. It can change someone, and he hates that Clary had to experience that. 

"She--" Jace stops and has to take a deep breath, calming himself as he relaxes his fists. "She just did something with me. Not--not a scene, exactly, but a taste-tester, so to speak. She asked me if I wanted to play, so I told her yes." 

"Oh, that is good news, indeed." Tessa's lips curl up in delight. "If you don't mind my asking, did she suggest you do something else in the future?" 

Jace purses his lips, not even embarrassed as he recalls the way Clary had talked about wanting to spank him one day. "She didn't outright ask, but she alluded to _wanting_ to." 

"You must be special," Will murmurs. 

Jem smiles. "So it would seem. You should go speak with her, Jace. I think that would benefit you both." 

Jace has been itching to go after Clary the moment she left, so he doesn't need much more prodding. With a casual goodbye to the strangely delightful trio, he heads off in the direction he'd watched Clary go towards. He keeps his eyes peeled, but doesn't notice her anywhere, and he's stopped by Simon. 

"Hey, there you are," Simon greets pleasantly. 

Jace smiles tightly back at him. "Hey, have you seen Clary by chance?" 

"Yeah, why?" 

"She--she just kind of _left._ I found out about Jonathan, and I just--" 

"Oh," Simon cuts him off, lips tipping down. He sighs and grimaces. "Yeah, that's a touchy subject for her, so tread carefully with that, okay? And--and Jace, he might be her brother by blood, but I've always been that for her in every other way." 

"That's good," Jace says, his voice softening. "Trust me, I know all about family members that aren't actually blood. I'm glad she has you." 

"I don't want her to be hurt like that ever again, okay? So...if you don't have to make her talk about it, please don't," Simon murmurs seriously. 

Jace nods. "I don't want her to hurt, either." 

"Then I'm glad she has you, too." Simon smiles at him, soft and sweet. "She's outside, probably getting some fresh air. Go get her, buddy." 

"Thanks." Jace starts to turn around and head towards the door, but he stops. "Wait, where is _my_ sister? Did Izzy leave?" 

Simon blinks. "What? Oh! No, she's still here. Bat took over the bar, so her and Maia are talking about some things. I don't know, girl stuff, probably." 

"Oh, okay. Have you seen Alec at all?" 

"He and Magnus are in one of the rooms, so he'll be indisposed for a while." 

"Ah," Jace says in understanding, realizing that his brother is off somewhere, doing a scene with his Dom. "And what are you doing?" 

"I'm probably going to go bug Raphael. He's my guy best friend, you know," Simon says seriously, apparently very proud of this fact. 

Jace is slightly surprised by this, and he stalls for a moment, staring at Simon. "Wait, seriously? He is?" 

"Oh, definitely. Just...don't ask him that," Simon replies with a sheepish smile. 

"Gotcha." Jace snorts and shakes his head. "Alright then, thank you, man." 

"No problem, dude," Simon chirps pleasantly and nods before walking away. 

Jace just shakes his head and heads for the door. Again, the atmosphere of the club surprises him, but in a good way. Everyone here is so _accepting,_ and despite all the seemingly bizarre--to bland people with normal sex lives--things that happen around him, he's never felt so comfortable. He can see why Alec came here once and kept coming back--well, it probably has to do with Magnus more than the club itself, for Alec, but still. 

The night air outside is cool and crisp, and Jace inhales deeply as he climbs the stairs to look each way down the alley. He doesn't have to look very far. Clary is only a few feet from the front door, leaning up against the brick wall and staring at the sky. 

Jace approaches her slowly, in case she wants to tell him to fuck off, but she doesn't. He leans up against the wall beside her and says, "Are you an artist?" 

Clary turns to stare at him, her eyebrows furrowed. "How did you know that?" 

"The first time I met you, there was a little bit of paint on your fingers," Jace says quietly. "Do you do it professionally, or as a hobby?" 

"This is my profession, mostly." Clary jerks her chin towards the club. "I do sell some of my art, though." 

"Did you do the art in the hallway?" Jace asks, recalling the paintings he'd seen the first time he'd entered and thought they were abstract paintings of naked people in ropes. 

Clary's lips twitch. "Yeah, I did. Magnus bought them all. Wouldn't even take a discount, the asshole. Why, do you like them?" 

"I remember thinking that they were gorgeous, even before I knew what they meant," Jace admits. 

"And now that you do know?" 

"I know I was right to think that." 

"Thank you," Clary says softly, tilting her head back up to stare at the sky. Her slight smile wanes and she sighs heavily. "Did they tell you?" 

Jace doesn't need to ask what she means. "Yes, they told me about Jonathan." 

"It's not--" 

"You don't have to talk about it." 

"You must have questions," Clary mutters, lips twisting bitterly. "Everyone has questions." 

"I have one," Jace says casually. 

Clary's lips split into a smile, but it lacks humor and warmth. It's a smile made of harsh enmity and something broken from the inside out. "Like I said, everyone does. Go ahead, ask away. I'll give you just one that I'll answer honestly." 

"Can I take you on a date?" Jace murmurs, staring at the side of her face, at the sharpness of her jaw that's somehow equally soft, and the delicate splattering of red over her cheeks and nose from the cold air. 

There's a brief silence. In the distance, a car honks loudly and a siren rings in the background. The moment stretches between them, and when Clary rolls her head to the side to stare at him, he understands why there are no stars visible in the sky. The light and wonder of them have been plucked right from the universe's grasp and administered to her soft, green gaze. She's a supernova, and she contains the entire cosmos in the curl of her lips. 

"You were granted one question to ask, and that's what you decide on?" she whispers. 

Jace smiles at her. "There is nothing else I need to know."

"Then yes, Jace, you can take me on a date," Clary tells him, looking soft and pleased and _happy._ "Maybe, one day, I'll answer every question you'll think up." 

"That seems impossible. You could spend forever letting me know you, and I will still be eager to discover more," Jace replies, his voice dropping to a lower register as he shifts to the side, moving to lean his shoulder against the wall and peer down at her. It's poetic and romantic and cliche, but it doesn't make the fact that he feels lost in her gaze, in _her,_ any less true. "In fact, I already have another question." 

"And what's that?" 

"Can I kiss you?" 

Clary's lips curl up. "Buy me dinner first." 

"That's already a guarantee," Jace replies. 

"Oh, in _that_ case," Clary murmurs, amused despite the breathless quality to her tone as she reaches up and slides a hand up his arm, fingers curling around the back of his neck. "The answer is no." 

Jace blinks. "No?" 

"No," Clary says softly, "but I can kiss _yo_ _u."_

With that, she drags him towards her and leans up to meet his lips with her own. Her lips are pliant and soft beneath his, in direct contrast to the way she pulls him tight to her body with a sharp inhale through her nose. His hand not trapped between the wall and his body immediately finds her hair, sinking into the long strands as he moves his mouth carefully over hers, treating each second of the kiss like the precious commodity it is. 

He tries to catalogue everything about this. The softness of her hair, the way her fingers slide up to delve into his blond strands, the ease in which she presses her body against his. The way her lips feel, how they catch against his, how the cool air around them brushes their heated skin. He wants to fold away every piece of this moment and exist in it forever, finding a home here. 

His hand down by his side struggles to free itself, only coming free when he turns slightly. Clary goes with the motion, pushing into him, urging him back up against the wall as she kisses him harder. The freedom of his hand comes at a cost of being pinned between the cold wall and Clary's warm body, a price he'd pay willingly at any given moment, and the reward is sliding his hand around her waist to rest in the arch of her back and pull her closer. 

The kiss is no longer careful or slow, and there's no way for him to keep up with memorizing it, too caught up in just _feeling_ it. Her tongue swipes out across his bottom lip, and he opens up to her automatically, melting back against the wall as Clary takes control and plunders his mouth. Her hand not twisted up in his hair lifts to rest against his neck, thumb lightly stroking his jaw, and he doesn't hold back the helpless moan he releases. 

At the sound, Clary pulls back with a very small gasp, her nose brushing his as she stands on her tip-toes to press their foreheads together. They rest together like that for a moment, breathing heavily, still holding onto each other as the mood settles itself. 

"So," Jace says huskily, "about that date." 

Clary laughs softly. 

* * *

"Hey, uh, Alec...can I ask you something?" 

Alec looks up warily, slowly putting down the book in his hands and surveying Jace cautiously. "If this is about egging Camille's house again, the answer is still no. Though, I do appreciate your support." 

Jace's lips twitch. It's only been a few days since he'd asked Clary on a date, the one that's taking place tonight. In that time, he and Alec have sat down--as best friends do--and finally talked for hours about everything they've been beating around the bush about so far. It was about time, anyway. 

Jace had learned that Alec had gone to the club knowing what it was, and he'd still been shocked upon entering anyway. He'd then eventually been introduced to Magnus--by Clary--and they'd hit it off immediately. According to Alec, Magnus is a switch who had taken one look at Alec and hadn't really looked anywhere else since. 

That's not to say that Alec hadn't learned about Magnus' past partners. One in particular is a very nasty woman by the name of Camille, who'd been Magnus' Domme and girlfriend for a little while, and the way she'd treated him had put Magnus off of subbing for a while. Jace doesn't know all the details, but he gathers that it's bad because Camille is banned from the club and Alec doesn't know her at all but despises her anyway. Jace has not only offered to egg her house with Alec, but he keeps the option open in seriousness and solidarity. 

Alec is his best friend. Of course Jace will commit destruction of property for him, to his boyfriend's shitty ex-girlfriend. What else are best friends for? 

But that's not the point of this conversation. 

"No," Jace says quickly, "it's not that. But uh, that option still stands. Name the time and place, and I'm there for you, man. But no, this is...well, I guess I kind of need some advice?" 

Alec's eyebrows rise. "Really? Since when? I always give you advice, but you rarely listen."

"It's about Clary," Jace mutters. 

"Ah, Jace, I'm the _last_ person to give you advice on Clary. First of all, I'm gay and severely unsure what to do with a woman. Second, Clary and I aren't exactly...friends," Alec says slowly, watching Jace warily, shrugging apologetically. 

It's adorable how he thinks that Jace needs advice about _that._

"No, that's not what I'm talking about." Jace can't hold back a smile and shakes his head. "You have experience dating outside of the BDSM club. Like, do you and Magnus just act...normal?" 

Alec arches an eyebrow. "As opposed to what?" 

"I don't know." Jace shrugs helplessly and sighs, reaching up to shove a hand through his hair. "I mean, obviously Clary isn't going to, like, make me lick her heels at dinner, in _public,_ but it's gotta be different than dating someone who wouldn't make you do it in private, either. You know what I mean?" 

"Not particularly. I have no urges to lick Clary's shoes, or Magnus' for that matter." Alec watches Jace deflate and snorts, rolling his eyes. "Jace, it's really not that big of a deal, man. Some people live in the lifestyle full time, sure, but I already know Clary doesn't. If she's your Domme, then she is, and maybe that will bleed over into regular life every now and again, but most of it will happen during a scene, at the club, and probably with sex." 

Jace makes a considering expression. "Huh. Okay, yeah, that makes sense. So...just be normal?" 

"Yeah," Alec tells him, shrugging. 

* * *

Clary looks equally strange and perfect outside of her usual Domme get-up. She actually wears a dress, a deep green that brings out her eyes and swings around her knees. Her heels are a modest black, and her hair falls in curls--half up, half down. 

"You look beautiful," Jace tells her with a smile. 

Clary grins back. "So do you." 

There's a playfulness to her tone, but her words ring with sincerity. It pleases him to hear it, and he winks at her as he sweeps out his hand towards the restaurant they're lingering outside of. It's a bit upscale, and he'd had to make reservations, but he didn't do it to impress her--and, in fact, it doesn't at all. She simply looks around the room as they're led to their table. 

He doesn't really think that a nice restaurant is what makes a date, but rather how the chemistry at the table feels. This place, in particular, has a certain quirk that made him pick it over something else. The table has a candle in the middle of it and flutes of glasses awaiting champagne, but the real winner is the paper tablecloth that's meant for people to actually draw on them. Like, on purpose. 

There's a small container next to the candle holding crayons, pencils, and color pencils. Upon seeing them, Clary looks up at him in amusement. 

"This way," Jace says, leaning in to whisper like he's telling a joke, "you can ignore me and doodle when I inevitably bore you." 

"Wow, you _are_ aiming to impress, huh," Clary muses, humor dancing in her gaze. 

"Just being prepared." Jace plucks a red crayon out of the container and puts it to the clean paper beside the candle, painstakingly tracing out a lopsided heart and coloring it in. He tilts his head and eyes it when he's done. "You know, that might be my best work yet, and it definitely sets the mood." 

"If that's your best work, I'm a little worried to see your worst." Clary busts out laughing at Jace's offended look, her eyes shining brightly. 

Jace tsks. "Okay, Ms. Perfect, since you're so good, let me see _your_ worst, then. Go on, make the worst doodle you can." When Clary arches her eyebrow and picks up a crayon defiantly, he quickly leans forward and murmurs, "Just don't draw a dick because I'm pretty sure we'll get kicked out." 

"Oh my god," Clary blurts out, immediately busting out into laughter that she tries to smother with her hand. She even snorts, which is unfairly cute, and her entire face goes red from trying not to laugh too loud and draw attention to themselves. "Wow, Jace, it's like you read my mind. I'm glad you stopped me in time, or else we'd be banned for life." 

Jace flashes her a smile, which she returns. 

The waitress comes over to get their order, and the rest of the date commences. Not once does it plateau or lose steam. They stay at the same level of amusement and interest throughout, thoroughly wrapped up in each other, trading laughs and facts back and forth without really noticing any other part of the outside world. 

They don't talk about Jonathan, or the club, or anything to do with BDSM at all. Jace is strangely relieved by that. He feels the most in his element in Clary's presence for the first time since they met, and no longer does he get the sense that he's the new kid without all the knowledge. In this, in the flirting and getting to know each other and general closeness of the date, Jace feels on top of the world. Clary seems to be having a good time as well. 

They learn a lot about each other, their conversations full of banter and laughs, though some quiet moments creep in--sweet and solemn alike, but strangely comforting all the same. 

By the time they've ordered dessert, Jace already knows that he wants to take Clary out again. In fact, he knows he wants not just one more date with her, but all the dates that she'll give the rest of her life. He can't imagine her sitting across the table from some other person, and he selfishly wants more with her, wants all that she'll be willing to give. It's stupid, and possibly irrational, but it feels _right_ to sit there and look at Clary and think that he wants to spend the rest of his life hearing her laugh. 

It's everything you read about in books and see in movies, everything he's imagined he'd never actually find. It's looking at a person and knowing they're meant to be a part of his life, knowing that they're _the one,_ knowing that falling in love with them will be the easiest thing he'll ever do. 

Of course, this is the first date, so he very firmly keeps those thoughts to himself and lets the date play out normally. 

Well, it's normal right up until they're waiting for dessert and a piece of gourmet mac-and-cheese hits his cheek with a sudden splat. Clary's right in the middle of talking when it happens, and she snaps her mouth closed as her eyes go wide. Jace jolts up straight and blinks rapidly, touching his cheek in horror and looking around wildly for the culprit. 

The culprit, as it turns out, is none other than Will. Beside him, Tessa is bright red from trying to restrain her laughter, while Jem is bright red from being openly embarrassed as he hides behind his hands. Will grins impishly and waggles his spoon, waving playfully with his free hand. 

"That little shit," Jace breathes out, swiping at his cheek with a cloth napkin as he stares at the table a few feet away. 

Clary chuckles. "Yeah, that's usually what people think about Will. God, it must be their date night. We should probably go say hi." 

"No, no, I got a better idea," Jace says quickly, picking up the straw he hadn't been using and opening it, tearing a small piece off and balling it up to stick it in the open end. 

"Tell me you're not," Clary says, sinking down in her seat, even as her lips curl up in amusement. 

Jace winks at her. "Oh, but I am." 

Will is currently snickering and looking between Jem and Tessa for some kind of reaction for his antics, not paying Jace any attention. With a smirk, Jace brings the straw up to his mouth and closes one eye to aim, blowing quick and harsh. He and Clary both watch the trajectory of the paper, both laughing uproariously as it hits Will right in the forehead. 

Will jerks back in offense while Tessa and Jem both start laughing, too. Jace grins over at Will, winking at him and pursing his lips around the straw to take claim of his very well-done shot. Will narrows his eyes, a challenge sparking in his gaze that can only declare one thing. _This means war._

War, it is, indeed. 

Needless to say, both parties end up getting kicked out, which Jace actually feels a little bad about--Clary had seemed excited about her dessert. Still, the five of them stand out on the sidewalk, cackling under the night sky, laughing so hard that they clutch their sides, and it's honestly a wondrous moment. 

"Your aim is impeccable, good sir," Will declares through his wheezes, tipping an imaginary hat as he bows to Jace playfully. 

Jace has to calm down a bit before replying, "No, man, hat's off to _you._ Jesus, I've never seen anyone have that much accuracy with a noodle before." 

"Well," Jem says, huffing a deep breath as his laughter wanes, though his smile is bright and achingly pretty, "there goes our endeavors for the night, William. What have you got to say for your actions?" 

"Oh, nonsense." Will tuts and shimmies over to Jem, blinking blue eyes at him innocently. "The night has only just begun and it is still young, James. We'll undoubtedly find somewhere else to get kicked out of, I assure you, so don't worry about that." 

Jem stares at him flatly, even as he wraps an arm comfortably around him. "Yes, because _that_ was what was concerning me." 

"I vote that we leave him behind, don't you, Jem?" Tessa asks lightly, moving over to loop her arm through Jem's and smile at him. "He's clearly incapable of behaving himself, and we'd surely have a calmer time on our own." 

"Calmer, certainly," Will agrees, apparently unbothered by his lovers toying with the idea of leaving him behind. "But oh, what a boring night it would be." 

Jem's lips twitch. "He, unfortunately, makes a strong argument. We can always eat at the other place that we almost picked instead of here." 

"A wonderful idea!" Will says pleasantly. 

Tessa hides a grin as she looks over to Jace and Clary. "Lord above, I will need endless patience. And you? Will you two be joining us?" 

Jace looks at Clary, waiting. 

"No, I don't think so," Clary says calmly, her gaze fond as she looks between them. "I actually have another idea, but you three have...fun?" 

"Oh, we will," Will declares with a wicked grin as he twists and scoots his way in between Tessa and Jem, throwing both arms around them and squeezing them tight to his body. "I'll make sure of it!" 

Clary laughs softly as they turn and walk away, quietly bickering, the undertones of love strong in their voices. Just before turning the corner, Will kisses Jem and Tessa on their cheeks and winks over his shoulder at Clary and Jace. 

"They are...something else," Jace says in amusement, shaking his head and laughing. 

"Yes, they are," Clary agrees fondly. 

Jace glances down at her hand, and he only hesitates a moment before reaching out and threading their fingers together, his heart soaring when she tightens her hand like she doesn't want him to let go. "So," he says warmly, "you have another idea?" 

"I do," Clary says. "There's a little ice cream shop near the park, if you're okay with the walk." 

"I'm very okay with a walk." 

It's a surprisingly warm night out in Brooklyn, and Jace ends up rolling the sleeves of his shirt up, being careful to grab Clary's hand if he drops it. He likes the feeling of her hand in his, their fingers fitting perfectly together, swinging lightly between their bodies. It's intimate and casual all at once. 

They talk as they walk, going over the more mundane parts of their lives--where Jace works, what Clary's mom is like, how they felt about high school and college, things like that. Even just that is interesting coming from Clary, and he hangs on every word as they transition into their hobbies and interests. They talk about their favorite books, movies, music; they have good-natured bickering over poets and artists; they even joke about their favorite trash-television shows and guilty pleasures. 

By the time they've reached the ice cream shop, Jace's sides are hurting from how many times he's laughed, and Clary's mascara has proven to be a real trooper because it didn't run when she giggled herself to tears. 

Jace, ironically, gets vanilla ice cream, which Clary smirks at him for, while she gets as many toppings as she can on a chocolate cheesecake flavor. They can't hold hands as they walk with their small bowls, so they stand a little too close as they stroll to the park. Instead of going inside this late in the evening, they find a bench and people-watch, enjoying the comfortable silence as they eat their dessert. 

Clary is halfway into her ice cream when she glances over at Jace between bites and says, "So, vanilla, huh? That's a bold statement." 

Ah, here's the BDSM talk. God knows Jace hadn't expected his favorite ice cream flavor to be the route that led them to this conversation. 

"I'll have you know that I've loved this flavor my entire life, and it, in no way, reflects my sex-life," Jace replies with a prim sniff that's betrayed by the amusement dancing in his words. 

Clary hums. "So, what, you wouldn't consider your sex-life vanilla?" 

"After meeting you?" Jace raises his eyebrows and smirks at her. "God, I hope not." 

"I want to be honest about something." Clary turns towards him, the amusement draining from her eyes and tone as she looks at him seriously. "You--you know about what happened with Jonathan, and I don't really want to talk about it. Not ever, if I can help it. But you should know...I refuse to be ashamed of what I like and who I am. This is a part of me just like the color of my eyes, and I won't try and change that for anyone. I enjoy it, Jace, and it makes me happy because it's me being _me._ If you're not--" 

"Clary," Jace interrupts, but he snaps his mouth shut when she holds up her hand. 

"No, let me finish." Clary clears her throat and takes a deep breath. "No man, or anyone else for that matter, will tell me how to live my life. Twenty years from now, I'll still be who I am and I'll still like what I like. Maybe I'll be different, maybe I'll also enjoy some more of the vanilla stuff, but I can promise you that this will always be a part of who I am. And I like you, Jace, I _really_ do...but I need you to know that you won't change me. If this isn't what you want, that's fine and we can be friends, but if you think I'll be someone else for you...stop while you're ahead." 

Jace slowly sits aside his ice cream and reaches out to draw one of Clary's hands between both of his own, sandwiching it between his palms and quickly dropping off a kiss to her fingers. "Clary, I don't want you to be anyone else but who you are. I can't promise to like everything you do, or even be all that great at--at everything we might try, but I _swear_ to you that I will accept every part of you. I like you for _you,_ and trying to change that would be crime." 

"You might change your mind," Clary whispers, her throat bobbing. "But, Jace, I won't. Do you get that? That, one day, you might look up and decide you want to be with someone who isn't so dominant, and that I can never be that girl for you?" 

Jace swallows. "You know, Alec admitted to me that he wants to Dom Magnus eventually, and that Magnus had alluded to maybe doing it one day when he fully trusts Alec. And--and that makes sense because Magnus is a switch, and when he heals, he'll allow Alec to help him trust again. That's _fine,_ that makes sense. But you're not a switch. This is a definite for you. Maybe you'll have times where you're into having sex that's _just_ sex, no power exchange required at all, and that's fine, too. But I already know what you will offer me, and I'm here, aren't I? Clary, I'm _here."_

"You don't know how you'll feel later," Clary argues weakly, staring into Jace's eyes. 

"You don't get to say that to me, not when you already know that this is a part of you. Give me time, and maybe I'll feel the same way about subbing, because I already know that I want to do that again with you." Jace kisses Clary's fingers and holds her gaze, hoping like hell she can see how sincere he is right now. "The same way you know who you are, I know that I'll always accept and support that. I'm not Jonathan, Clary, and I promise I never will be." 

"Jace…" Clary's face softens and she sits her ice cream down on the other side of the bench, reaching up with her free hand to cradle his cheek. It's cold against the heat outside, and he leans into her touch. "Thank you. I mean that. You make me want to try again, to be fearless in who I am, and I can't thank you enough for that." 

"Yeah, well, you came into my world and changed everything I thought I knew. I feel… I want to learn, Clary, and I want you to teach me." 

"I can do that." 

"And it's more than that, or not just that. I--I want to be _with_ you. Not just...be your sub. Like Magnus and Alec, or Maia and Simon. Is that--do you want that?" 

"You have no idea how much." 

Jace swallows, his heart hammering away in his chest. "In that case...come home with me. Tonight, right now, come with me and start the lessons." 

Clary's eyes light up and she breathes out heavily before whispering, "Okay."

* * *

It's not awkward, even though Jace fully expects it to be. His apartment is tidy as it always is, so he gives her a quick tour. Clary takes stock of everything and doesn't even bat an eye when the last place they stop is his bedroom. Her eyes scan the bed from the headboard to the wooden frame and she nods. 

"I have no idea what to do," Jace finally admits while she slowly walks around his room. "I mean, I read some stuff and we did, you know, that thing at the club. I've heard you call your Domme, like, a title? Am I supposed to call you Mistress, or Master, or…? I gotta be honest, I don't really think that's for me, so if that's--" 

"Jace," Clary interrupts, her lips twitching, "you're rambling. Just a little, but you are." 

Jace clears his throat and crosses his arms. "Yeah, I know. Just kinda used to being confident, or being able to pretend I am. It'd help if I knew what I should be expecting. But everyone's different." 

"They are, yes," Clary agrees. "Simon, for example. He likes being called Sir, and it helps Maia slip into a submissive mindset easier. But I've never cared to be called anything, and if you're not comfortable with it, _especially_ if you're not, then we won't." 

"Oh. Okay, great." Jace drops his arms and chews the inside of his lip. "So, uh, don't we have to sit down and go over a list of things we'd be okay with?" 

"We can. In fact, I imagine we will someday. But I have an idea for something we can do here, and you only need to tell me if you're okay with it." 

"What is it?" 

Clary nods to the two pairs of handcuffs on his bedside table, the ones he has for his job as a security guard. "We can work up to things later, but I figure we can take it relatively slow. The idea is for me to blindfold you and spank you. I'll then handcuff you to your headboard, then--if you have condoms--I'll ride you. How does that sound?" 

Jace gapes at her. 

She says it so calmly, so patiently, without an ounce of shame. It _isn't_ awkward because she's not allowing it to be--it's straightforward and asking for the sake of an answer, no matter what that answer may be. Jace feels no pressure to tell her yes, and he can easily see the benefits of the _Safe, Sane, and Consensual_ rule that comes along with BDSM. Not only is it incredibly sexy to have her tell him what can happen, leading him to picture it and want it, but there's also a relief in not having to guess. 

Jace has never been restrained during sex, not blindfolded, and he only recently watched someone get spanked last week. And yet, he's never wanted something _this_ badly. 

Weakly, he says, "I have condoms. Th-they're in my bedside drawer. And, uh, yes to all of that." 

"You know the color system, so we'll start with that. Later, if need be, you can come up with a safeword. For this, just remember to always be honest when I check in with you, and do _not_ hesitate to use any color at any point for any reason. If it feels like too much, or you're uncomfortable, or you need me to slow down or ease up, you tell me yellow immediately. If you want to stop, you say red, and everything will quit--the blindfold will be removed first, then the handcuffs. Sound good?" 

"Yeah, it does," Jace says confidently. 

Clary looks at him for a moment, her face soft, her smile gentle. "Are you ready to start?" 

"Ready when you are." Jace nods. 

Then, just like that, her face smooths out and her smile is gone, and her gaze is piercing as she stares at him. "Then undress and kneel beside your bed." 

Jace hesitates only for a moment, a little shocked by the swift change in her demeanor, needing a split second to catch up. But, once he has, he's there and ready to go. He efficiently tugs his way out of his clothes, heart hammering away in his chest as he does, revealing his body until he's naked. He knows he looks good, knows it and uses it like armor, but there's something exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure about the way she examines him from across the room, her gaze weighted. 

There are two paths for him to take once he's fully nude; he can turn around and kneel on the right side of the bed, the path of least resistance, or he can walk right past Clary and kneel on the left side, the path that might have her touch him. He knows she means for him to simply take the three steps to the right side, knows it down in his bones, and yet he wants to know what will happen if he goes to the left. 

Forcing himself to feign nonchalance, he slowly heads to the left side, keeping his gaze pointed to the floor as he does. He expects something, braces for it, hopes for it--a swat on his ass, her fingers sliding into his hair and yanking on it, anything--and yet...she does absolutely nothing besides stepping back to ensure that they don't touch. As disappointment whips through him, he realizes that is punishment enough for him going against the grain, because all he wants is for her to touch him. 

"Do you own any scarves?" Clary asks suddenly. 

Jace frowns. "I mean, I'm pretty sure Izzy left a--" 

"Yes or no, Jace." 

"Oh. Yes." 

"Where?" 

"Um...in my closet, I think?" 

Clary hums and walks over to his closet as if she owns it, peering in it and eventually drawing out a black cashmere scarf that Maryse had gifted him during his hipster phase. She gingerly folds it and brings it over, stepping up beside him without ever commenting on his naked body or hard cock, without ever touching him. 

"Tilt your head up," she murmurs. 

Jace does, blinking around his room, then closing his eyes as the scarf slowly hovers over his face before lying over his eyes. The texture is soft against him, and Clary ties it off at the back of his head, tight enough that he can't open his eyes beneath it. 

"Can you see anything?" 

Jace, who can't, murmurs, "No." 

It's not as disorienting as he'd been expecting. He knows the layout of his room, knows precisely where he is, knows what's going to happen. He waits patiently, his breathing even, his ears working overtime to catch any shift of movement from Clary. 

"Color?" Clary murmurs. 

It's at this precise moment that Jace realizes they're actually doing this, that _he's_ doing this. Clary has perfectly set the scene--has him kneeling beside his bed, blindfolded--and he still feels a surreal sense of awe from this. It's the point of no return, he thinks. 

Jace releases a slow breath and whispers, "Green." 

"Good," Clary says softly. "I want you to stand and lean forward over your bed. Just your chest should rest on the bed." 

With a quick nod, he reaches out to brace his hands on the top of the bed, levering himself up. He takes a deep breath, then releases it as he folds over onto the bed, his arms up beside his head like he's about to get searched. He can feel his hips pressing into the side of the mattress, his bare ass on display, goosebumps breaking out over his heated skin. 

He hears Clary step up behind him, her clothes rustling, her quiet breathing. His hands ball into fists, heart slamming in his chest, entire body going tense. He tries to prepare himself for the first strike, imagining what it will feel like, wondering if he'll even like it. He's so focused, listening as hard as he can, that his entire body jolts when her hands softly press into his lower back. 

"Color?" Clary checks gently, her fingers digging into his back, massaging. 

Jace groans. "Green," he manages to choke out, the tension slowly easing out of him. 

With a hum of approval, she continues to massage his lower back, expert fingers kneading at taut muscles and turning him to mush. He's putty in her hands, sagging into the bed as her thumbs slowly stroke down to press into the top of the mounds of his ass. He's not surprised when, a few moments later, she begins massaging his actual asscheeks. 

She squeezes and strokes, her palms warming his skin, getting him comfortable. Then, quietly, as if not to break a spell, she asks, "Color?" 

"Green," Jace slurs out. 

Clary's hand lifts off his right asscheek, then comes right back down in a blow that stings. He has no time to prepare for the gasp that leaps from his lips, and he tries to open his eyes in surprise, forgetting for a split second that he's blindfolded. The sting dulls quickly, turning to heat as Clary rubs at his skin, humming in appraisal. 

The left hand lifts off, and this time, Jace knows what's coming. He's known all along, but now he knows how it's going to _feel,_ and he wants to take it in fully without the surprise. And yet, as her hit lands, he still somehow finds the anticipation shattering into a mixture of excitement and surprise within him. The sting doesn't last, gone before he can really register it, and he's weirdly disappointed. 

Clary spanks him again, first with the right hand, then the left immediately after. This time, the sting is fresh in his mind, and he fists the cover on his bed in his fingers. Somehow, between the bite of each hit and the rising anticipation between them, what should register as pain--even as low-level as it is--just _doesn't._ It feels...good. 

"Jace," Clary murmurs, "how does that feel?" 

"It's, um… It's good," Jace says, pausing to clear his throat. The heat lingers on his ass as Clary softly palms at it. "It--I want you to keep going. Green." 

"I'm glad." Clary spanks him again, drawing out a soft hiss from him. "You look so beautiful right now. Your skin is pink, nearly red, and so warm." 

She hits him again, and Jace drops his head to the bed, muffling a low moan. He's a little surprised by how much pleasure is tangled up with the pinch of pain, his cock heavy and aching between his legs, even if he can't be bothered to care about it right now. He has a strong grip on the cover, holding on as he breathes, awaiting each hit that Clary deems to give him. As much as he enjoys her stroking his ass, he finds himself more taken with the spanking. 

Right, left. Left, right. Alternating, she hits him sharply four times. By the fourth hit, Jace has lifted his head as he pants, biting his lower lip hard as he cants his hips up, silently asking for more. The heat exists in his skin now, not dulling, a sensation of stinging pricks of pleasure. 

It's a jumbled up mess in his mind now, but he can't be bothered to care. He loses himself to the sensation of it, breathing heavily, waiting and wanting. 

"Color?" Clary asks him softly, her voice a gentle lull of approval and satisfaction. 

Jace hastily blurts out, "Green, green." 

Clary makes him wait a bit longer, to the point that his anticipation has swelled like a balloon in his chest, tingles of want circulating in his veins. Then both hands disappear, and one hand comes down towards the bottom of his ass, right in the middle of both cheeks. He yelps a little, the sensation new and exciting, and the jolt of it makes his cock brush up against the mattress. 

She hits him again, this time on the left cheek, then towards the right. She doesn't stop, moving her hits, but continuing them. They're a little harder now, glancing off the thick parts of his ass, leaving a sharp sting and blaring heat in their wake. He loses all of his breath, ducking his head and clawing at the cover, a buzz entering his mind. 

Clary pauses and asks the only question he's able to make sense of at the moment. "Color?" 

"Green," Jace whimpers, knowing that for _damn_ sure. 

He feels on the brink of something, like he's right on the edge of a cliff and about to soar off into nothingness. The spanking has undoubtedly increased in intensity, building gradually, the hits harder and sharper and faster. He wants it, though, wants the sound of it to ring in his ears and silence everything else, wants the heat radiating in his ass to last forever, wants the harsh slap of pleasure to continue until he can't fathom it anymore. 

"So good, Jace. You're so good," Clary praises, landing another hit that has him gasping. "I wish I could paint you like this. You look like a masterpiece laid out for me, skin peppered with my red handprints, like it's my artist signature and you're my canvas. Beautiful." She follows that with another blow that makes him keen. "Color, Jace?" 

"Green. Please, Clary, green," Jace gasps out, his entire body trembling. His mind feels like it's sliding all over itself, folding around this feeling and unable to process anything else. 

"So good for me," Clary whispers, then hits him _hard,_ her hand landing across both cheeks again. 

Jace slumps down to the bed with a choked-off moan, pressing his forehead to the cover as his fingers go slack. It should be strange, but the pleasure turns to a low buzz of comfort, and the heat feels as if it's spreading all over him. Clary rubs at his ass, and he hums, distantly aware of how blissed out he sounds currently. He's aware of himself, of everything going on, but it's like the jumbled wires that mixed up his pain and pleasure gauge finally figured itself out--he feels the pleasure in stark clarity now, no pain lingering in it at all. 

Clary hits his left cheek again, this time considerably softer than before--even softer than her first hit--and he knows she's bringing it to a close. The contact makes him sigh, the sting like a background hum compared to the spike of satisfaction. She hits the right, then immediately starts rubbing softly at his ass, murmuring praise as she does. 

"That was so good," Clary tells him. "You did so well, Jace, so good for me." 

Pride wiggles its way into his chest, and Jace finds himself thinking _I made her happy, I did do good._

"Are you okay to stand?" 

"Yes," Jace croaks out. 

Clary hums. "Good, do that. When you do, I'm going to guide you up to the bed and handcuff you, okay?" 

"Yes, okay. Green," Jace tells her, pushing himself up, his legs prickling with pin-needles at the weight he puts on them. Suddenly, he can feel the burn in his asscheeks, but it's far from uncomfortable. 

Once he stops swaying and takes a few steps in place, getting the feeling back in his legs, he extends a hand patiently, knowing that Clary will be there to take it. She does, the bed creaking as she slides onto it. With her help, he manages to fumble his way up the bed, settling down with his back against the headboard. His ass is a little raw and sensitive against the sheets when he sprawls out, but it doesn't hurt. In fact, the lingering heat fills him with satisfaction. 

"Now," Clary says, "I'm going to handcuff each wrist to each post. The key is right here on the nightstand if you want to get out at any time. If you do, what do you say, Jace?" 

"Red to stop," Jace rattles off automatically. 

"Good." Clary hums softly and her lips brush his cheek a moment later, making his lips curl up. 

Jace can't see anything, so he listens to the clink of the two sets of handcuffs as she grabs them. He lets her take each hand, clicking the handcuffs around them one at a time. The metal is cool around his wrists and his arms are spread open wide, but not straining. Overall, it's actually comfortable. 

He can hear the shutter and slide of his bedside drawer, followed by the crinkle and rip of a condom wrapper. His heart starts racing, his hard cock standing at attention, dripping with precum. He's so turned on that he doesn't know how to turn his thoughts into something coherent. He just _wants_ her. 

"Oh, god," Jace hisses out as Clary smooths the condom over his length, rolling it on. 

For a long moment, she just strokes his cock as he tips his head back and pants. "I can't wait to feel you inside me," she whispers sensually, her words slow and soft--intimately sexual. "You're going to feel so good, and I'm so wet for you." 

Jace moans pitifully. 

Clary hums and pulls her hand away, tapping his thigh to urge him to put his legs together. He does, shifting a little so she'll have better leverage. 

His chest heaves, rising and falling at a broken pace, his breath punching out of him and sucking back in thinly. Her leg swings over, her knees gripping his hips as she grabs his cock and guides the tip of it into her. Jace whimpers and fumbles for the small chain on each cuff, wrapping his fingers around it and gripping it with all his might. 

Slowly, achingly slow, she sinks down on his cock. She is wet, and the grip of her heat makes all his breath catch in his lungs. As she cranks down over him, one inch at a time, she moans. It's a breathy sound, almost delicate if not for the rasp towards the end, a throaty gasp that sends all of his neurons firing at one time. Finally, she lowers herself fully, taking all of him in, and it's so fucking _good_ that it's nearly unbearable. 

"Clary," Jace groans, his head rolling backward, baring his throat without a thought. 

"Look at you," Clary breathes out, the touch of her fingertips ghosting over his jaw. Her thumb brushes over his bottom lip, and he nips at the pad of it, making her walls clench around his cock. "You're beautiful, Jace. So beautiful." 

No one but her has ever told him that, especially not in this setting. Not the way she says it, reverent, like a confessional prayer. For a split second, he can see himself through her eyes--the golden hair, parted lips, flushed skin, and the wanton desire he displays...all for her. Maybe he is beautiful, but he can only feel it with her guidance, just a first draft of a drawing before she touches him and brings him to life, turning him to art. 

Clary drags her hand down his cheek, resting it on his shoulder as she braces herself and lifts off of his cock. All the air caught in his lungs wheezes out of his throat as her hips swivel around, pushing back down. She fucks herself on him, her nails digging into his shoulders. He suddenly wants nothing more than to see her, to watch her in motion, and the need to touch her grows with each moment. He tugs at the cuffs, sucking in a sharp breath at the pinch of them, a small dose of pain to heighten the pleasure. 

"Clary, please," Jace chokes out, his whole body trembling. "I--I want--" 

Clary moans, slipping down his length and rocking her hips back and forth, grinding her wet folds over his stomach, pressing down on her clit. "What do you want?" she gasps out. "Tell me." 

"I want to see you," Jace admits, groaning as she curls her hips up, half-lifting off of him, then slamming back down in one quick motion. 

"No," Clary simply whispers, huffing a small laugh as he whines in response. "You're at my mercy, Jace. How does that feel?" 

Jace chews on his bottom lip, words blocked by the groans clogging his throat. It feels _so good_ to have her riding him, chasing her own pleasure. He can easily picture what she looks like, the red hair cascading over her naked skin, the tips curling around pert nipples. He imagines the sinuous twist of her hips as she rolls them, grinding her clit against him and pushing herself up and down his cock. She's so wet, and hot, and she _must_ be flushed herself. 

But he can't see. 

She won't let him. The control is in her hands, and she calls the shots, and he _is_ at her mercy. Instead of feeling bereft, it only increases the desperation and intensity. He's hers, and he knows it, just like he knows she'll do what's best for him. 

"It feels good," Jace chokes out, his head hanging back as her hand slides up the juncture of his neck, nails scraping up into his hair. "I trust you, Clary." 

Clary moans then, her hot, wet tunnel fluttering around him as she fucks him harder. His moans synchronize with hers, growing in volumes as hers do. He curses sharply under his breath when she tugs sharply on his hair, making goosebumps break out his skin, bringing his orgasm closer. 

"Are you going to beg for me?" she asks, panting as she rocks her hips. "Tell me how much you want to see me, Jace. _Beg for it."_

Jace is so far gone, riding along the pleasure that whips through them, and he feels no shame when his mouth opens and pleas start falling out. "Please, Clary, I need it. I want to see you so badly, want to watch," he blurts out, keening low in his throat. "Please, Clary, _please."_

"So good for me," Clary praises through a tight moan, rolling her hips as she leans forward. Her fingers catch at the back of his head, then the blindfold is falling away. 

Jace blinks blearily, whimpering at the sight that waits for him. There's a cloud over his vision, and it makes Clary's form look otherworldly and ethereal. He can only make out the foggy shape of her body rising and falling on his cock. After the third blink, he can see clearly, and he nearly comes from the sight of her in perfect clarity. 

She's let her hair down in a wild curtain that sways with each roll and twist of her body. Her thighs are visibly quivering as she rides him. Her free hand cups her breast, rolling the tightened nipple between her fingers gently, tugging on it intermittently. She's absolutely gorgeous like this, with her bright eyes and flushed face and shaking body. 

"You're beautiful," Jace tells her in awe. 

Clary hums, a brief smile flickering over her face before it falls away to reveal a look of pleasure. She tosses her head back and groans, her clit rolling back and forth over him as she presses down and rocks her hips. Jace tugs at the handcuffs mindlessly, gaze locked between her legs, watching his cock disappear into her over and over. It's so fucking _sexy_ that he's just panting as his orgasm approaches faster. 

"I'm going to come," Clary whispers, her hips rocking faster, grinding down harder. "Just me, Jace. Don't come, not yet." 

Then, with that, she lets out a gasp and squeezes her knees around his hips as her walls clench in increments around his cock. She stills, moaning loudly as she comes, her whole body twitching. It takes everything in him not to come as she does, and his toes curl from the effort. 

"God, fuck," Jace rasps out, his back arching as he pushes his orgasm back, yanking on the cuffs in earnest now. "Jesus _Christ."_

Clary breathlessly laughs, her eyes fluttering open as she shifts her legs slightly. The sheets make a soft _shush_ as she leans forward, pressing into him to kiss him. He moans into her mouth as she slips off his cock just a bit, so wet after her orgasm. She swallows down the sound, swiping her tongue out and grabbing him by the chin. Her fingers dig in slightly, angling his head back so she can kiss him hard and hot from above, making him groan filthily. 

"You don't come until I tell you that you can," Clary murmurs against his mouth, nipping his bottom lip as she pulls away. 

Jace nods helplessly, sucking in a sharp breath as she starts moving again. 

She fucks him long and hard, trailing her hands over her own body and his. After plucking gently at her own nipples, she reaches out to roll his between her fingers, making him jolt and quiver in place. She starts gentle, making him bite his lower lip, then she _pinches,_ and he lets out a yelp as his hips jerk. His release grows, creeping up on him no matter how hard he tries to hold it back. 

"You--you have to--ah, fuck! Clary," Jace pants out, whining and squirming as she continues to pinch his nipples, "you have to stop or--or I'll come." 

"Don't," Clary says simply, her own words short and breathy around a moan as she fucks herself on him. She's watching him, her eyes dark with lust, lips parting like she's seeing a miracle unfold. 

Jace arches and shouts when she tugs at his nipples and squeezes around his cock, never faltering as she picks up her speed. "Clary!" he cries out, his hips twitching as he yanks harshly on the cuffs. 

"Color?" Clary asks. 

"Fuck," Jace chokes out, his eyes squeezing closed as her touch on his nipples turns gentle. "G-green, but you _have_ to stop if you don't want me to come." 

"Don't come until I tell you," Clary tells him softly, her words shaking around a gasp. 

Clary tugs harder on his nipples, making Jace toss his head back and groan. Everything builds into this one big crescendo, focused on her enveloping his cock and pulling on his nipples. He shudders and digs his heels into the mattress, a litany of pleas falling from his lips--begging her to let him come, cursing each second that passes when he isn't allowed, calling out her name like it's pure divinity. 

In the end, his mind can only produce her name, and he chants, "Clary, Clary, Clary…" 

"Come for me, Jace," Clary orders, gasping as she shudders, sinking down on him _hard,_ clenching around him yet again as she comes once more. 

Jace comes with a shout, his back arching as he fills the condom, twitching inside of her. The release washes through him, so good and intense that he loses himself to it for a moment, simply gone in sensation. When he comes down, he's gasping and going limp, opening his eyes to see Clary shakily reaching for the key on the nightstand. 

She unhooks the cuffs, whispering praise to him that he can barely hear over the ringing in his ears. Gently, she rubs at his tender wrist, bringing each one to her lips, kissing them. He smiles at her a little dopily, stupidly pleased and full of happiness from that entire experience. He wants nothing more than to curl up with her and never leave. 

He feels really good. 

"Jace, go toss the condom," Clary tells him softly, putting the handcuffs and the key back on the nightstand. After, she leans forward and brushes a kiss over his forehead. "I'll be right back." 

"You're leaving?" Jace asks, frowning. 

Clary reaches up to push her hand through his hair, her smile sweet. "I'm just going to get you some water, okay? Get comfortable for me, and lay out one of your t-shirts, if you don't mind." 

Jace doesn't mind that at all. He nods quickly, shifting on the bed. She lips away, completely naked as she leaves his room. He doesn't like seeing her leave, and frankly, it hits him a little harder than he expects. However, the high from his orgasm lingers and she's given him a task to focus on. Out of the scene or not, he still wants to obey and please her. 

So, he finds his favorite t-shirt and lays it on the bed, then heads to the bathroom to tie off the condom and toss it. He rubs water over his flushed face and stares in the mirror for a moment, a strangely vulnerable feeling swelling in him. For a split second, he feels a bone-deep unease that settles in his core hollowly. It makes him look away from his reflection and wrap his arms around himself as he quickly exits the bathroom, eager to get to Clary again. 

He finds her in his room, wearing his t-shirt and her panties, nothing more. She smiles at him when he walks in, holding out a pair of boxers and a glass of water. Her silent request is answered quickly with him slipping into the underwear and drinking the water that actually reminds him that he's really thirsty. Weirdly enough, he feels better knowing that she would look after him like that. 

"Thank you," he says. 

Clary's face softens. "Come on, let's cuddle. I'm good for some sleep, what about you?" 

Jace has apparently been reduced to a soft ball of mush because he nods eagerly and slides onto the bed after her. She lays out on the bed, her head high on his pillows, and she draws him close. His head rests on her chest, one of his arms thrown tightly over her waist as he presses in close to her side. As her fingers gently card through his hair, he sighs and closes his eyes, settling. 

That feeling from the bathroom is long gone. 

"Thank you," he whispers again. 

Clary brushes her lips over his hair, her other hand drawing lazy shapes on the back of his shoulders. She hums. "It's my pleasure to take care of you, Jace. In the morning, we can go out and get breakfast, if you want. I know a place with really good omelets." 

Jace pushes one of his legs between hers, tangling them together. "That would be nice." 

"For now," Clary murmurs, "you should rest." 

"'Kay," Jace mumbles sleepily, his eyes already shut. He feels warm and safe and loved. He feels good. 

He falls asleep in her arms. 

* * *

Not for the the first time, nor the last, Raphael looks up at their entrance and sighs. 

"Ah, don't be like that," Jace teases, pausing to lean against the counter and grin at him while Alec and Izzy slip past to enter the club. "One of these days, I'm going to get a smile out of you." 

"Not likely," Raphael says blandly. He flicks his gaze over Jace with a frown. "You didn't come yesterday."

"I picked up an extra shift at my job," Jace says easily. He taps the counter. "Gotta pay for this membership somehow, you know. Why, did you miss me?" 

"No." 

"You totally missed me." 

Raphael rolls his eyes. "You're as bad as Simon. What have I done to deserve either of you bothering me?" 

"Hey, Simon is _great,"_ Jace says defensively, huffing a little. "Plus, I hear you two are best friends." 

"No." Raphael narrows his eyes. "He really needs to stop telling people that." 

"He also told me that you and him had a few scenes together before," Jace says with a grin. 

"Yes, we did. Why does that interest you?" 

"I just wouldn't have guessed, that's all." 

Raphael hums. "You shouldn't assume, Jace." 

Jace blinks rapidly. "Fair enough. I just thought you didn't like him." 

"I don't like anyone," Raphael clarifies. "I do enjoy being a Dom, however. For a while, Simon was my sub, but it was a very open-ended agreement. When he fell for Maia, I met Meliorn, and we haven't had a scene since. He does, however, pester me nearly every day and force his presence upon me. Much like you."

"You're something else, Raphael," Jace declares, his lips twitching. He pushes away from the counter and points at him. "One of these days, you'll smile for me. Just you wait, it'll happen." 

"You can dream," Raphael calls after him. 

Jace laughs loudly as he heads down the hall. He enters the club a few moments later, scanning the room. He's very used to the setting by now, never staring or lingering on anyone. His gaze eventually finds who he's looking for. 

Clary is at the bar, talking with Maia, Simon, and Izzy. She's as gorgeous as she always is, as the first time he ever laid eyes on her. He makes a beeline right for her, sliding into the open stool next to her amidst the laughter. 

"Hey," he says when she looks over at him. 

Clary smiles at him. "Hey, Jace. Izzy said you were talking to Raphael. How'd that go?" 

"As good as you can imagine." Jace snorts and leans over, planting a kiss on her bare shoulder. "He insulted me. And Simon, actually. You know, normal everyday stuff." 

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Clary says, smiling and rolling her eyes. "Izzy was learning how to bartend. It's...slow-going."

Jace raised his eyebrows at his sister. "Is it?" 

"Oh, like _you_ could do it," Izzy says with a huff. 

Clary leans into Jace's side with a small laugh. "But right _now,_ aren't you supposed to be going to a room, Izzy?" 

"We are," Simon agrees, his eyes brightening as he looks between Izzy and Maia with pure love and devotion in his eyes. 

"Alright, come on," Maia says, reaching out to push her fingers through Simon's hair, her smile sharp and naughty. "Izzy and I have a great night planned for you, Simon." 

"We do," Izzy agrees with an equally sharp smile. 

She winks at Simon and threads her arm through Maia's leaning into her side and mouthing at her neck. Simon's pupils expand immediately, and both girls laugh at him when his lips part. He looks very pretty like that, Jace notes. He doesn't watch his sister feel up Maia, though, that's just weird. 

The three of them stumble off, chuckling and whispering to each other as they go. Jace shakes his head in amusement. He's happy that his sister found Maia and Simon. She's been with them from the beginning, learning from them, and he knows they're tentatively dating. He can tell how much Izzy likes them already. They're good for her. 

Jace turns in his seat, wondering if he'll catch sight of Alec anywhere. He eventually does. His brother is standing off to the side of a scene carrying out--a girl is flogging what must be her sub--and Magnus is kneeling at his feet. Alec has his hand in Magnus' hair, talking to him quietly, and even from across the room, Jace can see the happy glint in Magnus' eyes. 

Warmed to his core, Jace turns back to look at Clary, his lips curling up. "You left your toothbrush at my apartment," he murmurs. 

Clary huffs a short laugh. "Did I?" 

"I put it next to mine," Jace tells her. He leans his elbow on the bar and stares at her pretty eyes, his heart thundering in his chest. "It looks good there."

"Does it?" Clary bites her lip. 

"You should come over and see it after your shift ends," Jace says, reaching out to run his fingers up her inner thigh teasingly. 

Clary's hand snaps down and catches his wrist. She leans forward until they're almost nose-to-nose. "No touching me tonight, Jace. Not until we get home." 

Immediately, Jace retracts his hand and stays very still, his breath coming out short. "Okay," he whispers automatically, licking his lips. 

"Good," Clary praises. 

"Home," Jace repeats cautiously. 

Clary stares at him for a long moment, and Jace finds himself very nervous. She's spent nearly every night at his apartment since the first, and it's only been close to two months, but he wants her to stay for good. They have hesitantly joked about her things accumulating at his place, but neither of them have discussed her moving in for real. 

He wants it, though. Badly. 

"It's getting kind of crowded in my apartment, the one Simon and I share," Clary says slowly, staring into his eyes searchingly. "Maia has been living there for a while now, but Izzy is there almost all the time. Not--not that she isn't great, but four people in an apartment meant for two is...a lot." 

"How would you know?" Jace teases, his lips curling up into a smirk. "You're at ours all the time." 

Instead of getting annoyed by his teasing, her eyes brighten and she smiles. "You said _ours."_

Dammit. Jace's cheeks flood with heat and he clears his throat. "I just--well, if you _wanted,_ you could--" 

"I want," Clary cuts him off. "I really do." 

Jace's lips spread into a grin. "I know you just said no touching, but can I _please_ kiss you?" 

"Only because you said please," Clary murmurs, leaning in with her eyes fluttering shut. 

With a soft sigh, Jace closes his lips and kisses her. He keeps his hands in his lap until she grabs his wrists and pulls his hands to her waist. From there, he slides off his stool and steps in between her legs, kissing her deeply. It's a tender moment, making his heart swell. He loves her, and he knows it. 

"Hey!" 

A slap on the bar makes them break apart in alarm, but their surprise quickly melts to irritation. Will is grinning as he leans up against the bar with bright eyes dancing with amusement. Jem and Tessa are watching him with sappy looks on their faces. 

"Kinda busy here, Will," Jace grits out. 

Will laughs. "I'll say. However, one does have a deep need for a drink, and our lovely Ms. Fray here is the bartender for the night." 

"Are you?" Jace asks Clary in surprise. 

Clary sighs and gently pushes him back, giving him a sheepish smile. "I am. Bat called out sick, so I helped Magnus out by covering his shift. Raphael will relieve me in about three hours, though. I came from behind the bar to let Maia and Simon try and teach Izzy how to bartend a little. I think she's considering applying for a job here." 

"Huh." Jace blinks and watches her walk around the bar, smiling at the triad. "Well, that's cool." 

"I apologize for Will," Jem says, looking at Jace in faint amusement. 

Jace snorts. "You always do." 

"Ah, but he shouldn't." Will leans over and lowers his voice. "You'd assume that he'd learn after all these years that it does no good." 

"I can hear you quite well," Jem speaks up, arching an eyebrow when Will theatrically jerks away from Jace and winks. 

Tessa sighs and turns to Clary. "Please, I'll need something to get through this night. A bit of wine would do me well, don't you think?" 

Clary snorts. "With Will? No, I'll make you something a little stronger." 

"Do not play innocent, Tess," Will says fondly, sidling up next to her to whisper in her ear. He grins as her face steals over with a blush, and he turns to Jem with a heated look, raising his eyebrows. 

Jem does a good job of pretending like he isn't affected by whatever shared secret that they have, but Jace can see the color rise in his cheeks, too. 

"Yeah, one for you, too," Clary decides, looking at Jem with a small smile. 

"So, what did I interrupt, precisely?" Will asks, looking between Jace and Clary. "There seemed to be a moment."

"There _was_ before you interrupted," Jace grumbles. 

Clary laughs softly, looking over at Jace with a pleased smile on her face. "I just agreed to move in with him," she murmurs softly. 

Jace's stomach flip-flops in delight. 

"Ah, a momentous occasion!" Will declares with flourish, stealing Jem's drink and raising it high. He looks genuinely happy for them. "This is wonderful, indeed! A toast, then!" 

"It is lovely," Tessa agrees warmly, raising her glass a bit, sharing a smile with Will. 

Clary laughs and leans down to grab three beers, passing one to Jace and Jem--replacing the drink Will stole--and keeping one for herself. Ridiculous, but happy, Jace opens his beer and lifts it as Clary and Jem do the same. He looks at Clary, holding her gaze, a soft flutter of his heart brightening his smile. 

"To Jace and Clary," Jem murmurs. "Two very special people who simply mean the world to each other. May they have a happy home together." 

With large smiles, everyone clinks their drinks together and takes a sip. In his heart, Jace finds himself echoing the sentiments. The conversation eases and splinters off--Tessa asking Clary for details, Jem congratulating Jace, Will butting into both to put in his opinions. Then, as they finish their drinks, they start to pull away. 

"As wonderful as this is," Tessa says apologetically, "we really must be going. We have a room and we don't want to waste even a moment." 

"They have a brat to put in place," Will says with a wink, taking the last long pull on his beer. 

"That we do," Jem agrees. 

Jace and Clary, in unison, wave and say, "Have fun."

"So, are you going to hang out here and watch me bartend?" Clary asks him after they're gone. 

"Was planning on it," Jace admits sheepishly. 

Clary rolls her eyes and waves her hands, shooing him away. "Go, mingle. Look, Alec is on one of the couches. Go bother him." 

"Yes ma'am," Jace says teasingly. He gives her a two-fingered salute as he goes to do as she says. 

Alec is on one of the couches. Magnus appears to be having a discussion with someone Jace has never seen before, a young girl who looks a little lost. Even as Magnus is speaking to her, she stares around at everything in blatant shock. The sight makes Jace wonder if he looked like that the first time he walked into this club. He's pretty sure he did. 

Plopping down in the seat next to his brother, Jace nudges him with his elbow and says, "I saw Magnus kneeling by you earlier. How's that going?" 

"Good," Alec answers, looking over at him with a small smile. "Really good, actually." 

Jace grins at him. "I'm glad to hear it, man. Who's he talking to now?" 

"Someone who's never been here before. I barely caught her name before I walked away, but I heard her story," Alec admits, shrugging. "Apparently her girlfriend is into this kind of stuff, so she wanted to come see what it was all about. I think her name was Aline? Magnus is being gentle with her." 

"That's good," Jace muses, glancing over to see the girl nodding hesitantly to what Magnus is saying. "I hope things work out for them." 

"Like they did for you," Alec suggests softly. 

Jace chuckles. "Yeah, like that. And you had your doubts. Everything worked out in the end, just like I told you it would." 

"Maybe," Alec allows, "but you still shouldn't have followed me here, and I stand by that." 

Turning to watch Clary behind the bar, mixing a drink for Meliorn, his voice softens and his heart swells as he says, "I'm so glad I did." 

And he is. 

**Author's Note:**

> So, what do we think? Like I said, I did a lot of research, but I know it can't quite touch on Real Life BDSM and that lifestyle. But I do hope I handled it correctly and provided a good story for you all to read. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! If you did, don't hesitate to drop off some kudos and leave me a comment; I literally adore every single one. Thank you so much ❤
> 
> Ta!
> 
> -SOBS


End file.
